Darkened Thunder
by Zelite-Sama
Summary: New Chapter Up! Three mysterious people show up, with only Eggman knowing who or what they are. But Eggman's in a coma at the hospital. Who are these new people? Are they Friend? Or Foe? TailsOc, AmyOc, ShadowOc, KnucklesOc. Rated for Language
1. Newcommers

Disclaimer: I'm only saying it once, and don't flame me saying that i didn't have it in my story, because i do. I don't own anything that'd you reconize. Sonic and Co. belong to Sega and Archie comics, as far as i know anyways. I own Akima the Hedgehog, Megumi the Fox, Kurramo the Rabbit, and the story idea. I'm not sure if anyone has came up with an idea like this before, but i'm posting it. I also went over this chapter and fixed any and all mistakes that i could find, so enjoy! Also, i have went back, and have fixed some things in this chapter.

Key: "Talking", 'Thinking', )( Scene change )(, and ((Author Notes)).

)( Chapter Start )(

It was a dark and stormy night. ((Aren't they always?)) A lone figure crept into the darkness of what seemed to be some hidden laboratory of sorts. The lights came on, reveailing the figure to be none other than Eggman himself. His hand reached up, and stroaked his mustache as he looked at two green liquid filled tanks that glowed with a slightly strange light, a darkened figure hidden within each tube.

"Well, well, well. Let's see what my grandfather left me." He said as he walked over to a control panel, and input a bit of data. A few moments later, the tubes would be heard as they were drained of their liquids, leaving the figures at the bottom. He pushed a button, and the wires that were attached to the figures dispatched themselves, and the tubes opened up.

"Shadow may have been a failure, but these two should do nicely." Eggman said to himself, his eyes hidden by a pair of dark glasses. "Come! Awaken! There is much to be done!" Eggman said as he watched the two figures step almost, uncertainly onto the floor, and looked around.

The smaller figure, which appeared to be a female chocolate colored fox, looked at the computer and equipment curiously, and almost excitedly as her four tails swished around behind her figure; her icey blue gaze attempting to asorb as much into her brain as she could of the lab around her. She looked a bit like Tails, with the exception that she was a dark chocolaty brown where he was yellow/orange, she had four tails instead of two, and her hair was a soft silvery white that fell about waist length.

The other, who crossed her arms and eyed Eggman, was definantly a hedgehog. She looked much like Amy, perhaps a little taller and curvier than the pink hedgehog; this hedgehog was a dark red, however, with black stripes along her quills, and a large patch of purple on her chest, in a star shape. Her long dark, almost blood colored quills shifted elegantly against her waist; her deep golden gaze, outlined by natural black, narrowing at the evil doctor. "Who are you, and why should we listen to you?" She asked coldly.

Eggman sputtered in fury as the red one dared to defy him. "I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik! Or Eggman as people like to call me. My grandfather, Professor Gerald created you, and left you to me!" He said, almost proudly as his own arms crossed against his chest. "You will do as i say! Or else!"

Akima, the red hedgehog, and Megumi, the fox, glared at Robotnick as they stalked towards him, cracking their knuckles. "We don't take orders from someone like you!" They both said, as they cornered Eggman within the lab. "What are you doing! You're supposed to listen to me! No!" Screamed out Eggman as the two women pounced on him.

)( Emerald Beach )(

Sonic lay streatched out on a beach chair as he watched the waves roll against the white sands. "Sonic! Sonic!" Someone yelled, as he twitched an ear, glancing over to a winded looking Tails as he held up a newspaper. "You're not going to belive this! Someone got to Eggman and SERIOUSLY hurt him! He was on the verge of dying when he was dropped off at the Station Square Hospital!"

"No way!" Sonic nearly yelled as he grabbed the newspaper, looking at the headlines. "Eggman Found Early This Morning! Who Could Have Done it!" It read, as it went off about how he was in I.C.U. and stuff like that, with a picture of him laying there and a couple G.U.N. Officers keeping watch over him.

"Well! You know what this means Tails!...Vacation time! Oh yeah!" Sonic yelled as he jumped up, running around the area a moment in joy. "But Sonic! What if whoever did this to Eggman, comes after us? What if they try to take over the world!" Tails yelled to the blue blur as it finally stopped a moment, thinking. "Well, then, we'll go after them! I mean, how hard can it be? Just sit back and relax Tails, we're not gonna get another chance like this for a while." Sonic said as he grabbed his magazine from the sand beside his chair, and sat back down in it. Tails just shook his head as he slowly walked back towards the hotel, his mind wandering a bit.

)( Station Square Mall )(

Akima stood outside of a store at the mall, waiting for Megumi to hurry up. "Come on! You're taking too long!" She said, calmly, even though she felt like just grabbing her friend and yanking her back 'home'. Akima crossed her arms, a foot tapping in annoyance for a few moments, before Megumi walked out of the store.

"Allright, allright, i'm done. How do I look?" She asked, as she did a little twirl for her older friend. Megumi was well, very pretty looking, Akima refused to use anything other than that when complementing another girl, even if it was in her mind. Megumi stood there, her small sleek looking form clad in a pair of simple short blue shorts, a white tube top shirt with two intertwining cherries on the front, a pair of soft white gloves, and a pair of simple soft blue sneakers, with a white vertical strip down the middle of them. "You look fine." Akima said, rolling her eyes at her younger friend.

"Well, I wish that -you- would have went and got something." Megumi said, eyeing Akima. Akima wore a dark purple head band, to keep stray quills out of her eyes, a pair of white gloves, a pair of silver bracelets, and some jet shoes, which looked strikingly similar to Shadow's. Akima's shoes, however, were a female design, and where Shadow's was red, her's was black, where his was black, her's was red, also, where his was white, hers were dark purple, and where his was golden, hers was silver.

Rouge blinked a moment as she walked through the mall, eyeing a red person. 'No clothes..it must be a guy...no girl in their right mind wouldn't not wear clothes...and...it looks like..Knuckles! Who is that he's talking to! Well, i'll show them..' She thought as a small smirk formed against her lips, walking over to Akima, failing to notcice the hedgehog ears, and the black streaks, as she reached out and slid her hand against Akima's ass with a small purr. "Hey Knuckles, missed me?"

"I don't need clothes, their unimportant, my fur covers everything, and that's all that matters to me." Akima says with a roll of her eyes, before yelping loudly and whirling around to glare at a white bat. Rouge blinked alot in confusion. She had thought that Akima was her favorite red Echidna that she loved to torment; but now that she was closer, she could see that she made a mistake...a VERY big mistake. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else." Rouge said, smiling a bit apologetically.

Akima just rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms once more. "Just be sure to keep your hands to yourself in the future...or you won't have one.." Akima said as she walked away from the bat, still a bit miffed that -someone-, and a female at that, had went and grabbed her ass. Megumi looked at Rouge, smiling softly. "I'm sorry, she's been a bit grumpy lately.." She said before she ran off after Akima, yelling for her to wait up.

)( Station Square Dock )(

Rouge sighed as she thought back to earlier that day, trying to figure out why she had sorely mistaken that girl for Knuckles. "Hmm...let's see...She was red, like him...only...darker...The way she was standing also reminded me of him a bit. I don't know -HOW- i missed those ears though.." She said with another sigh, sitting on the small boat dock near the water between Twinkle Park, and The Hotel.

"Who are you talking about?" Amy asked as she took a seat beside Rouge, nearly scaring her with her sudden appearance. "No one really. I was just thinking out loud." Rouge said as Amy nodded. "I met a couple of strange people today at the mall, and i think i might have angered one of them. Oh well.." Amy blinked, looking at Rouge. "What kind of strangers?" She asked, her emerald gaze looking out over the water as the sun started to set, making the whole ocean seem to be alilve in color.

"Well, they were like us...You don't really see many of us Furries around here, well, at least not that i know of. There's nothing but humans here." Rouge said as she continued to think. "Like us? Are they guys? Are they cute?" Amy asked, almost excitedly. "No, they were girls. One was red, with black streaks in her hair..she didn't wear any clothes that i saw of, and i mistook her for Knuckles.." Rouge said embarrassedly.

"Oh, i bet she didn't like that.." Amy said with a slight giggle. "The other one was a fox, strangely enough, she had four tails...She seemed kind of nice." Rouge stood up, and stretched a moment. "Wow! FOUR tails! That must be cool!" Amy said as she followed Rouge's lead, blinking a moment as she sun settled down past the water's surface, the evening turning into night. "I guess i better head on home. See you later Rouge!" Amy called as Rouge waved back, taking to the air to go see if she could go find some information on the two girls from earlier.

)( Mystic Ruins )(

Shadow was walking through the Mystic Ruins when he stopped a moment. 'What was it..?' He thought and strained his ears to listen around him, blocking out all of the surrounding jungle sounds. 'I know i heard something..' He tensed a moment, as he heard it again, a faint scream, comming from the direction of the old ruins. His ruby gaze narrowed as he shot towards the area.

"Argh! No! I'm sorry! Don't kill meeeeee!" Megumi yelled out, trying to contain her laughter at Akima's look of surprise that Megumi had actually been able to hit her with a paintball, and was now glaring at the younger girl. Akima held up what appeared to be some kind of laser cannon, but it was actually, a regular paintball gun, that Megumi had fixed up. She ran over to Megumi, tackling the girl as she held her down, pointing the barrel of the gun at her friend's head, a large, almost sadistic looking grin crossed her face. "Prepare to die..."

Megumi yelped and pretended to be as scared as a little rabbit in a wolf's gaze. "Oh no! Help! Someone help! She's gonna killlll me!" Megumi screamed out, trying to keep her scared look upon her face, and not break out into laughter as they played their usual game of paintball war.

Shadow heard it again! He came upon the ruins, looking around a bit causiously for a moment before he caught the scene of a frightened fox girl under another, a red hedgehog, who had a laser pointed at her head. His eyes narrowed as he leap into action, tackling Akima off of Megumi who blinked in surprise. "I won't let you kill an innocent!" He growled out, taking up a fighting stance as Akima grumbled and stood up, pointing the 'laser' at her own head.

"Look, you idiot, we're only playing." She said as she pulled the trigger to the gun, and a large ball of neon green paint splattered across her head. "God, what IS it with people today! First some annoying bat person grabs my ass, and now some guy trying to -protect- my friend." She said with a roll of her eyes, throwing her hands up in frusteration.

"Akima...I don't think he ment any harm...from what we were doing, and how it looked, someone who didnt know us, would have thought that you were really trying to kill me." Megumi said innocently, as Shadow continued to eye Akima cautiously. "Yeah, whatever.." She said and ran up the steps of the ruins at a slow pace, and climbing up to the top of the 'tower' there.

Megumi sighed as she watched Akima, shaking her head a moment, before walking over to Shadow. "Please forgive her, she's had a rough day today..and we were really only playing.." She said softly, in an almost childlike voice; her four tails swaying somewhat behind her. "I'm sorry as well. I guess i did kind of jump to conclusions. Are you sure you're alright?" Shadow asked, looking at Megumi, finally noticing the neon green paint all over her.

"Yeah, i'm fine. We have to go though. See you some other time!" Megumi said with a smile, as she rotated her four tails, and flew up over to where Akima was; grabbing her friend's arms as they flew off into the distance over the cliff, where one of Eggman's bases used to be. Shadow just stared off at them, before walking out of the ruins, going back to what he was doing prior, nothing.

)( Later )(

Megumi sighed as she looked around the old base, then at Akima who stood there with her arms crossed, not looking very happy. "Awww...come on 'Kima...he only thought i was in danger..." Megumi said with a small smile, looking at her 'sister'. "Hey! I know! Don't look so glum." Megumi started, before Akima glared at her. "Oh, right, that's how you're supposed to be.." She says, rolling her eyes a moment.

"As i was saying, we need to find Kurramo, god knows where these human idiots put him at. We need to find him before Ivo wakes up, don't want him to ruin our plans." Megumi says, as she looked through various files in the computer databank. "I mean, if he found us, he might know where Kurr is.." Megumi states as she glanced over at Akima, who was leaning against a wall with her eyes closed, either sleeping, or thinking.

"Have you checked anything under any of the files from Professor Gerald?" Akima asks, as she opened her golden gaze to look at Megumi's own icy blue. "Of course! Why didn't i think of that earlier!" Megumi cried as she started to furiously type in commands into the computer at a fast rate, not taking her eyes off the data-filled screen.

"Hmmm...says here that G.U.N. has him...you know what that means, 'Kima?" the chocolate colored fox asked, looking to the older hedgehog. "Yeah, 'Gumi...It means we get to have a little..fun.." She says in reply, a large almost evil grin sliding across her lips as she cracked her knuckles. "A whole lot of fun.."

)( G.U.N. Facility )(

"Allright, as much as we would like to have some fun, as you would call it. " Megumi says into her headset with a built in microphone, that sent her words to Akima. "But we need to get in, and out, as fast as possible, and as quiet as can be, we can always bust some robots another day." Akima grumbled something unhearable as she sighed. "Yeah, right, so Kurramo is in sector Zeta 3?" Akima asked as she darted quickly around the halls, keeping out of sight from the cameras and random robots that passed by.

Akima made it into the area where Kurramo was, her golden gaze narrowing as she looked around. She walked over to his stasis tube and keyed in the release sequence, golden eyes watching as dark Emerald colored orbs gazed back at her a moment, before blinking. Kurramo stood up out of his tube, his sapphire blue colored furr dripping from the liquid that had been inside of the tube.

Kurramo was a tall furrie, taller than Akima was. He had dark blue furr, and even darker blue spiky ish hair that fell to about his waist, ending just above his fluffyesque rabbit tail. He wore nothing, not even gloves or shoes; one of his rabbit ears stood straight up..ish..and the other flopped over, almost like one of those playboy bunnie insignias.

"What the hell took you so long?" Asked Kurramo, his voice deep with a hint of a Russian accent to it. Akima rolled her eyes at her big 'brother' shrugging. "Megumi wanted me to go all stealth.." She says, looking him over. "Common, let's blow this place..Blow it sky high.." She says with a large grin as she tossed a detonater type thing up and down in her hand as Kurramo nodded. "Yes, let's get the hell out of here."

Both Kurramo and Akima ran their way out of the base, destroying any robot that got in their way as they made their way out. Kurramo was fast, but not as fast as Akima was, and she only went as slow as she did, to make sure he got out of the base. Once outside, and a hell of way from the base, Akima grinned as she sat back in a tree, watching as the base blew up with a resounding 'BAM!' sound.

"Come on you guys, let's go before any more G.U.N. people, or those 'hero' people show up." Megumi says, as she sat in a jeep, watching as Kurramo and Akima jumped in as well. "'Kima gets off on blowing things up..doesn't she?" Kurramo asked with a grin, looking at his flusteredish looking sister. "I do not." Akima said emotionlessly, with a slight red tint to her face. "Surreee you don't, and i'm the queen of the universe." He says with a roll of his emerald eyes, watching the trees zoom by. "Then you're one UGLY queen." - "Hey!"

)( Abandoned Eggman Base A.K.A. 'Home' )(

Kurramo looked at himself in a mirror, emerald eyes narrowing slightly as he inspected his reflection. He wore a pair of plain white shoes, and white gloves, but instead of the rings around his wrists and ankles, like Akima and a few others had, he had studed anklets and wrist bracelet thingys. Also, around his neck, there was a spiked collar, and on his right arm was a regular collar type thing, only studded instead of spiked; in his right rabbit ear, was a single golden hoop type earing.

He wore a pair of skintight, or furtight, black leather pants, that allowed his blue rabbit tail to poke through in the back, and a black also skintight tanktop netshirt that showed off his muscular figure; an oversized tooth poking out of his mouth, in a rabbit sort of way, that made him look irrisitably cute. "Aww, stop worrying Kurr, you look fine." Megumi says as she glomped onto her older brother, hugging him for all she was worth, having missed him. He chuckled and hugged her back, looking around a bit. "Hey, i have an idea, let's go find Akima and tell her.." He says, picking Megumi up and setting her on his shoulder.

)( Emerald Beach )(

It was a bright sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, and boy, was it hot as hell. Nope, nothing could break Amy and Rouge's spirits as they dragged the boys off to the beach for the day, without much complaint from them. Amy laughed as she splashed at Tails in the water, said younger boy waving to Sonic who was glaring at the water like it was Eggman, or worse. Knuckles sat up in one of those palm trees, watching out incase of some enemy, and Shadow, he sat under the shade of said tree, while Rouge sunbathed out on a beach towel.

Not like the boys wore any clothes, much less swimming trunks, so Amy and Rouge were the only ones who wore swimsuits, Rouge a small pink bikini, in hopes of catching Knuckles' eye, and Amy, a red bikini as well, but with white dots scattered around on it. Tails laughed and dunked Amy, watching her sputter back up and glare playfully at him "Ohhh! Just you wait Tails! I'll get you back!" She yells at him, smiling and waved to Sonic. "Hey! Sonic! Come on in! The water's fine!" She laughed at the look he gave her, which seemed to scream out 'Are you crazy!' and went back to glaring at the water.

Meanwhile, a little bit aways from the group of friends, Megumi, Akima, and Kurramo were at the beach as well. Akima sat under a tree, a book in hand as she quietly read, golden gaze looking up over her book to watch her siblings a moment, before going back to her story. Megumi and Kurramo were chasing each other around with super soakergun things; Megumi wearing a red tube top bikini styled top, with two white cherries in the front intertwined, her bottoms, were like spandex shorts, and were white, with red cherries all over it. ((Megumi has a thing for cherries.)) Kurramo had ditched his other outfit, collar and all, as he ran around, wearing a a pair of black swimtrunks with red shimmery planets, and blue shimmery cresent moons on it.

A bit later, Kurramo and Megumi came and sat down beside Akima, looking bored. "There's nothing to do..Oh! I know! We can have a race!' Megumi yelled out loudly with excitement, causing Sonic and Shadow to look over at them with a somewhat interested look at the word 'race'. Akima smirked as she saved her page, and closed her book, setting it down. "You know..you won't win.." She says, her thin form stretching out as she did a few warm ups, she didn't want to pull a muscle, now did she?

"Allright, first one to the ice cream man, and back, wins!" Megumi says with a large smile, drawing a line in the sand as she, Akima, and Kurramo settled behind it. "Allright, when the book falls, we start." Kurramo says with a grin, ignoring Akima's glare as he tossed the book high into the air.

All eyes were on the book, even Sonic and the others, before 'SMACK!" it fell onto the ground, Kurramo and Akima darting off, leaving Megumi in their dust. Akima snickered almost evily as she turned to look back at her sister, taunting her. "How does it feel to eat dirt!" She yelled out as they ran, Akima keeping a slow, yet somewhat fast pace, as she didn't like reveiling her fastness to anyone she didn't know.

Kurramo frowned and sped up, matching Akima's speed as they ran neck and neck, well, as Akima let them. "Hey Kurr, hope you like dust, because you're going to eat it!" she yelled as he grinned at her. "Ha! As if! you won't win this time!" He yelled back at her and ran as fast as he could, passing up Akima a moment.

Akima smirked as she let him think he was winning, before she sped up herself, zooming past him and to the ice cream man. She quickly bought an ice cream cone, and started back towards the finish, waving almost cheerfully at Kurr as he made his way to the ice cream man a few moments later. She also passed up Megumi, who by now knew she wasn't going to win, and was walking the rest of the way.

Akima made her way over the finish line, and looked around a moment, grabbing her book and dusting it off with a grumble, and sitting back down to read it. "What? No rants and raves about how you're the best?" Kurr joked as he and Megumi walked back over to her, eating their own ice cream cones. "Why should i, when you -KNOW- i'm the world's best." Akima says with a smirk, watching the group of furries not to far away, one which she noticed was that male who had the nerve to tackle her the other day..and the bat girl too..who had...touched her.

She visibly twitched at the memory, of another female touching her ass like that, and she was hoping that it would never happen again. "Oh come on, i live to see your rants and ravings at the end of the end of a good race!" Megumi says, grinning at her older sister. Kurr smirked and grabbed his super soaker, which was filled with ICE cold water, and squirted Akima with it, getting her good and wet.

Akima froze, as she looked at her once dry fur. Her golden eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared at her brother, who saw her look, and started to back up. "Uhm...whoopse?" He says, before turning and fully started to run for his life, which he just got used to having again. "You are SO DEAD!" Akima yelled as she jumped up, shaking the water off of her.

Visible black flames surrounded her as her eyes glowed a dark blood red, and in an evil voice stated "Run, puny mortal! For i will KILL you when i catch you!" She says, fist rising up. ((Think of those animeish women who get all pissed off like, and that's how Akima is?)) Kurr gulped, and ran faster. "Gah! Why did i shoot her!" He asked himself, before a cold voice yelled out "Akima Daggers!" Large dark purple energy spear type things circled him from every angle, before the converged on his form, leaving him to lay on the ground twitching.

"Ow..that...seriously fucking hurt.." He mumbled into the sand, looking up to find a pissed off Akima standing over him, slamming her foot into his back. She wasn't really mad or anything, she was just playing around, like she and Megumi did all the time, only, she wasn't afraid to hurt Kurr with her power like she was with Megumi.

Megumi snickered and laughed as she watched her two older siblings, blinking as Sonic and the others started towards them, because they thought she had gone crazy or something. "No! Leave them alone! you'll ruin everything!" She yelled out to them, as Sonic looked at her as if she was crazy too. "You kiddin'! She's gonna kill him of we don't stop her!" Sonic yelled as he pinted over to them, only to find Akima sitting on Kurr's back, tickling the hell out of him as he laughed and screamed, begging for mercy.

"Ha! Pledge your allegance to me, and you wont die as soon as you would if you weren't!" Akima yelled with a large grin, Kurr squirming and trying to get her off of him. "But your supremeness! I already AM loyal to you!" He laughed out, sighing in releif as she got up and dusted herself off. "Ha! That's right, you better. No one is greater than i am! For i am the SUPREME lifeform, and no one is my better or equal!" She stated, her foot on his back as she crossed her arms, a smirk upon her lips as she reached up to scratch the end of her nose. "At least that i know of."

"Ah, well, enough fooling around for now.." She says, as she reached down, and helped Kurr to his feet, helping him dust off. "Ha! Supreme lifeform, that's rich. What's next, Goddess of the Universe?" Kurr joked, rolling his eyes. "Geeze, she has a bigger ego than Sonic, Shadow, AND Knuckles combined..!" Amy stated as she got a "Hey!" from Sonic, a "What do you mean ego!" from Knuckles, and a slight glare from Shadow.

"Well, it is true, boys." Rouge says with a small smile. "Hey, i know you. You're the one i met at the mall the otherday, aren't you?" Rouge asked as she moved closer, to look at Akima. Akima blinked and arched a brow, her arms crossing over her chest as she glared a bit at the bat. "So what if i am? What's it to you?...You're not going to attempt at grabbing my ass again, are you?" She asked, glaring even more at Rouge as she blushed brightly. "Hey! That was an accident! I thought you were someone else!" She says, turning away from the strange hedgehog girl, and "Hmph!"ing as she walked away.

All eyes were on Rouge as she walked away, Akima's more of a glare as Kurr looked at his sister. "So...a girl touched your ass, hm?" Kurr asked, looking back to Rouge a moment. "Kurr..." Akima started warningly, though he didn't heed the warning as he continued. "Did you like it? Or did you shove your foot up her-" "KURRAMO!" Akima intterupted, slamming her fist upside his head with a growl. "I'll take that as a no.." Kurr said weakly from the ground, twitching.

Sonic and the others, with the exception of Shadow, sweatdropped as they watched the scene; Shadow just arched a brow in amusement. Kurr stood back up, dusting himself off again, blinking as Amy looked up at him. "Hey, you know. You're kinda cute! Maybe even cuter than Sonic!" She stated, giggling as she looked up at the tall Rabbit. Sonic blinked, and looked at Kurr, and then Amy, and then Kurr again. He had mixed feelings about that comment of hers. Sure, he didn't like her to hang around him all the time, and chase him, but no one, NO ONE was 'cuter' than he was, and it made him jealous that Amy, a fan, would up and start liking someone over him.

Kurr blinked, and blushed slightly. "Uhh, thanks..I guess." He says, ear twitching as his emerald gaze glanced over at his younger sister, well, the baby sister really, as she kept sneaking looks at Tails. "You, have such pretty fur.." She started shyly as she and Tails stood off a little from the others, talking quietly with small glances at one another, and little blushes. "Wow! I didn't know anyone had more tails than i did!" Tails exclaimed as he eyed Megumi's four tails with curiosity.

Akima grumbled and wandered away from the group, well, not too far away, as she leaned against a tree, looking out at the sea, but listening to the conversations going around. "What's the matter faker? Jealous that your fangirl has an interest in someone else?" Shadow teased as Sonic growled and huffed out a "No way!" but still glaring somewhat at Kurr.

'Hmm...that dark hedgehog...he reminds me of project Shadow...' Akima thought, her gaze dulled a moment as she went back into memories, grumbling and mumbling a few words every now and then. Kurr and Megumi blinked as they watched Akima, and wandered over to her, shaking her shoulders to get her from her 'trance'. "What's wrong with her?" Tails asked, as Sonic nodded and Shadow stayed quiet, Amy looking on with worry.

"She'll be ok, she get's like this every now and then when she gets into thinking too much.." Kurr stated as he sighed and slapped Akima across the face, hard. Akima shook out of her deep thoughts, growling and glaring at Kurr as she spit a bit of blood from her mouth. "Did you -have- to do that?" She asked annoyed, before glaring at all the people around her. She didn't like it, she felt like they were trying to close in on her, which they weren't, but Akima had a slight clostrophobia, as she growled and pushed pass her brother and sister, stomping/running away from the group.

Megumi smiled apologetically as she watched Kurr run after their sister. "Heh, sorry about that, gotta go. Maybe we'll see you again. She always get's like this when she's been thinking too much about 'him'." Megumi stated before waving, taking off after her brother and sister before anyone could ask who 'him' was.

)( End Chapter )(

Well, that's it guys. My first Darkened Thunder chapter. Sorry about The Blue Dragoness, lost inspiration for that. I almost wanted to make a chapter where she died, but i felt like people would hate me if i killed her off, so i just left it like it was. Review, and you'll get a cookie. -. If you have any questions, just ask, i'll be happy to answer them. Untill next chapter.


	2. Just Another Day

And here i am, with another chapter! Whooo! Go me! Anyways, i'm glad you all like it, and stuff. And here's TWO cookies for Drakedragon, one for reviewing, and one for being the very first reviewer! And..in response to your question Drake..Maybe. You'll find out soon enough. .

Oh, one more thing. The beginning of this chapter is more or less, going to be a glimpse of the past for Akima, Kurramo, and Megumi, or the basic idea of what their pasts were. I know some of you are probably going to be a bit upset with how i portray Maria, but, hey, she was a little kid, little kids often do things without very much reason or logic at all. At least the ones -i- know do.

shadows girl: Here it is, all updated. Please don't kill me. Because if you do, how will i post my chapters and storys? From beyond the grave? -hands her a cookie-

EvilKittyGoddess: Yeah, i know. -hands her two cookies- because one, you an Ro are the two best sisters i know, and two, who else would i have pre-read my stories and help me with ideas if i didn't have you? -

Black-Sapphire: Heh heh. Shhh. It's supposed to be a secret. -Hands a cookie-. Finally! Another person who understands me! I like doing detail things, because i RP alot, EKG can tell you that. And it's hard to let go of the way i know how to write.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and Co. Though i wish i owned Shadow and Knuckles. I do however, own Akima The Hedgehog, Kurramo the Rabbit, and Megumi the Fox, and a new character that will be revieled in the next chapter.

Key: "Talking", 'Thinking', _Flashback/Past_, )( Scene Change )(, and ((Author's Comments)).

_)( Space Colony Ark, 55 Years Ago. )(_

_Professor Gerald 'Hmm'ed' a moment as he looked over the data pertaining to his three newest test subjects. "Perhapse i should've used a younger specimen.." he muttered to himself. Looking over the file about Kurramo. He was young, but not young enough, he was perhapse about eight, or nine human years old, and he was a difficult Mobian to handle._

_However, Gerald figured he was still young enough to learn. He didn't particularly get along with the younger two, and he was a bit neutralish towards his granddaughter, Maria, even against her attempts at friendship. Megumi, however, was just about as young as a toddler, easily enough to handle and to get her to do things easily, she loved Maria as if his granddaughter were her own mother._

_There was one odd thing about Megumi, she had three extra tails, instead of the customary one. He frowned a moment, concluding that it was just a side effect of the experimentation with her genetics when they were creating her from two donator foxes who had offered to let their dna be used for science._

_'Akima', he thought, 'is a perfect specimen. She always does what she is told, and hardly ever complains about it.' Akima was a lively young hedgehog, she was unusually fast, and the scientists had focused on that, boosting it and training her how to use it without hardly getting tired after long periods of time running. 'That's it!' Gerald exclaimed in his mind, quickly rummaging through papers and such. "Akima would be a -perfect- candidate for the Supreme Lifeform project experimentations."_

_"She is a hedgehog, like Shadow, and she has speed like he does, perhaps a little faster..She'll need work to get her to use chaos powers, and when joined by Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform project, they could bring balance to the earth." He said to himself, and nodded. "Hedgehogs are better adaptable to chaos energy than almost any other species with the exception of Echidnas. I wish i could have one of -them-, but, i have the next best things." He muttered to himself._

_)( Sometime later, after several monthes and experimentations. )(_

_Akima sighed as she watched Maria play with Megumi, and not her. 'I wanna play with Maria too! Megumi gets to play with her, but not me!' She thought sourly in her mind, watching as a scientist came and took Megumi away for some more experiments. 'Now's my chance!' Akima thought happily as she took her little doll and wandered over to Maria._

_"Maria? Can i play with you, please?" Akima asked with big hopeful eyes. Maria looked down at Akima and frowned, grabbing her own doll and shaking her head. "No! I don't like you! And i'll NEVER play with you!" The young human said, whirling around and stomping away, as best she could do in her condition._

_Akima blinked back tears, before running after Maria, standing in her way. "Why? I didn't do anything bad! You always play with Megumi, and Kurramo too if he feels like it. Why not me too!" She demanded, fists on her hips. "Because. I don't like you. I hate you! You're going to take -MY- Shadow away from me! I heard grandfather say so. Now leave me alone!" Maria said, pushing Akima out of the way, making the young hedgehog fall on the floor._

_Akima sat up, hugging her small doll to her before silent tears began to fall onto her doll, only to be asorbed by the plush material. She faintly heard a "Kurramo. Wanna play with me?", making her cry harder. All she wanted was to be Maria's friend, why was she so mean to her? She blinked away tears, looking up at dark green eyes and blue fur as Kurramo picked her up._

_"Don't worry, Imouto. Maria didn't mean to be mean like that, she's just, jealous. Because Doctor Gerald said he was making Shadow to be her friend, and then heard that you were going to be his friend too. She's just afraid that you'll steal Shadow away from being her friend." Kurramo said with a small smile, carrying the younger girl back into her own room._

_Akima frowned a moment, hugging the older boy. "But, i'm not going to steal him away. Why can't he have more than one friend?" She asked, holding her doll in one arm, and trailing her fingers through Kurramo's long pretty hair. "You have pretty hair, i wish mine was as long as yours is." She said with a pout, poking at her own shoulder length spikey red hair._

_Kurramo laughed and set her down on her bed, or tried to, but only ended up hefting her onto it. "Good thing i'm strong, or you would've flattened me!" He teased playfully, dodging her swat. "Oniisan! I'm not fat!" She huffed, crossing her arms, and thwapping him with her doll, grinning._

_"Hey! No fair! I wasn't ready for that one!" He yelled, before laughing as she tossed away her doll and tackled him onto the ground, in which they proceeded to wrestle around upon the floor for a good while. It felt all too soon before one of the scientists, with Professor Gerald came, to take Akima and Kurramo for their daily check up and experiments._

_)( About a year or two later. )(_

_It was some time later, and Akima had grown considerably, she no longer had her childish personality, but a silent and uncaring one. She no longer cared that Maria didn't like her, or that Maria was jealous of her. The only ones she showed any signs of anything other than emotionlessness, was around Kurramo and Megumi, who were like an older brother and younger sister to her._

_Often, she would go missing, only to be found in one of the labs, curled up against the pod that Shadow was contained in, wrapped up in a blanket, and sometimes a book. She did this so often, that when she went missing, they knew where exactly to find her, and many joked that perhaps she should just move into the lab to be closer to Shadow. _

_She didn't care what they said, she only knew that something inside of her pulled her towards the black and red hedgehog, and she wished she knew what it was. It was all too soon before she herself, and her siblings were put asleep in one of the pods like Shadow had been in, and hidden away, and that Shadow had been awoken._

_Maria was happy, yet saddened by this. She missed Megumi, but was glad that she could have Shadow all to herself, and not share him with Akima. Shadow was his normal quiet self, and had many questions about things. "Maria, i don't know why, but, in my dreams, i see this red hedgehog, with black stripes, and i try to go to her, but she disappears, and i fall into a hole of some sort."_

_"I don't know why i keep having these dreams, i get there strange feelings in my chest too, like i'm being tugged somewhere, but i don't know where to go. And, i have memories of someone reading and talking to me when i was still in the pod. What does that mean?" He asked, watching a quiet Maria._

_"I don't really know, it might be a nightmare? And the thing with your chest, maybe it's something Grandfather had put in you, and the reading and talking, i guess, that could be one of the scientists from here, or another dream." Maria said sweetly, reaching out and hugging the young hedgehog._

_Everything had been fine, years passed, and then, the accident happened. The one that claimed Maria's life, and Shadow had been put inside another pod, unaware that Akima and the others were found, and brought down to Earth, and sepperated, mostly. Akima and Megumi had been left together for some unknown reason, none that we would find out any time soon, or at all..._

)( Present )(

Akima blinked as she looked up at Kurramo and Megumi, who were frowning at her. "Thinking about him again?" Megumi asked, grinning. Akima shook her head, moving from her seat. "Nah, just the past in general. It just got me thinking, you know? Why was she always like that to me? Ah well, she's long gone now, no use in thinking about it. What's done is done." Akima said, pulling off her purple headband and tossing it into the trash.

"It just feels too weird without my hair in my face." Akima explained at their questioning looks, before pulling off her gloves and doing the same. She walked over to her closet, looking around in it before pulling off her sneakers, and replacing them with boots, still having the hovering ability with them.

"I figure, if i wear boots, people'll notice i was a girl..." She said, running her bare left hand through her hair. "Or you could just wear clothes like the rest of us females!" Megumi said with a grin, causing Akima to frown. "Clothes only slow me down, you know that." Kurramo grinned a moment, looking at her, "Why not get some spandex type of clothing? Their lightweight, skintight, and-"

"And people'll think i was some weirdo super hero wanna be or something." Akima finished with a roll of her golden gaze. "Nah, only if you get the colorful and flashy stuff." He said with a shrug, watching Akima pace around her room in a bored like fashion. "He's here, i know he is, alive. I can FEEL it. It's like it was back on the Ark. It's like a weird pulling in my chest. I have a hunch on who it is.."

Megumi and Kurramo watched Akima walk around and talk aloud. "I bet it -is- him, how can someone look like another person so much unless he is a clone, or a twin? I need to see him..ask him..I -need- to know." She muttered, raking her fingers through her spikey hair. "That's it! I'm going to go find him, and ask him. If he is him, great, if not, i wasted my time." She said sarcastically to herself.

Akima stopped pacing around, and ran out the door, off to find 'Shadow'. Kurramo looked up from his magazine, looking at Megumi. "How long do you think it'd take her to find him?" Megumi looked at him, with a smirk. "Oh, i say an hour!" She said with a nod. "An hour? You're on! I bet you 50 bucks that it takes her the entire day!" He said with a grin.

"A day? Yeah right! She runs fast enough to find him in an hour." She said, flipping some of her hair behind her shoulders. "Ah, but you forgot, Akima's going 'slow' because she doesn't want to be discovered..thus..an entire day. Give or take an hour or two." He said with a shrug, smiling at Megumi who was pouting because she -had- forgotten that little fact.

)( About Eight Hours Later )(

Akima was beginning to get a bit impatient in her search. Because, even though she was pretending to be a slowish hedgehog, she couldn't yet go full speed untill she was sure that it was safe to do so. She didn't wanna get caught and sealed back up again. Everytime she got near to where the tug was pulling her, Shadow would speed off somewhere, and even a few times felt him suddenly jump to another place instantly. It was annoying.

Akima was currently making her way up a mountain. Or trying to. God how she hated snow. It was white. It was cold. And it seemed to melt and then refreeze on her. Was it her imagination, or was it getting harder to see? She sighed, it was just her luck, that a snowstorm had blown in her way.

Akima continued on, untill she had finally had enough of it. She had slipped on a hidden patch of ice and smacked her head against a rock, causing a cut to form across her forehead. Growling and cursing she turned around, hand held to her head, while her other arm was used as a shield against the wind and ice that was blowing around.

She made it about three fourths of the way back down, before something else had happened. She didn't know who, or what, but she found herself lifted up and tossed like a child's doll, before smacking into something hard, and the same thing continued on untill she felt she didn't have an unbruised spot on her body, what was she, a pinball!

She yelled as the ground met her face. Her form standing up, allthough a bit shaky, and glared around, finding..nothing! "Am i going crazy!" She asked herself, before a painfilled scream tore through her throat before she could do anything about it. She huffed a moment, crouching on the ground as she realized what caused her harm. Something had hit her in the back with something electric.

She tensed as her golden gaze narrowed, looking around, her form staying low to the ground. 'I hate snow! I hate it! I hate it! I. HATE. IT!' She growled in her mind, before a laser went past her, burning fur and scratching her shoulder into a bloody mess. She whirled around to where the shot came from, but still saw nothing!

There was a faint sparkle of energy, before another laser came at her, Akima's form jumping to the side, only to be hit in the leg by another one! How many where there! Why couldn't she see them! She jumped away from another set of lasers that seemed to come out of thin air, and right into about three more, one powerful enough to go through her side.

She layed on the ground, unable to get up at that particular moment. It was then that she realized that the ground was shaking, and there was a rumble that was getting louder. She shakily stood up, looking around, and up, before the wall of snow and rocks came down on the area, and sweeping her along for the ride.

)( Five Minutes Later )(

A staticy voice was heard, before a mecha appeared standing up out of the snow, about four more did the same, the mechs sparking a moment. "Damn avalanche! Messed up our Chemeleon shields." A man said, looking around the cleanswept area. "No matter, we achieved what Command wanted. It is apparant that the female hedgehog is NOT the one we're looking for." A woman said, hand raising up to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Yeah, i'll have to agree with you there. We've been trailing her all day. She didn't run any faster than an average Hedgehog. She was weak, didn't even notice us, and then that fight? Pitiful. That was defanantly NOT the late Professor Gerald's Supreme Lifeform Project."

"Today was just a wasted day. I doubt she'd even survived that avalance. Swept her right down that cliff." Another man said. "I'll radio command to bring a carrier to take us back." Someone else said, before they made use of their radio and did just that. "A transport will be here in about five minutes to pick us up, make sure you have everything, we'll be leaving shortly."

)( Base Of Mountain )(

A fist punched up through the snow, startling some wildlife, and a red bloodied figure emerged. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUUUCCCKK!" Akima yelled out into the air, pissed off that she had been caught offguard so easily, from the pain, and the horrible snow that seemed to freeze on her bloodied form.

"Wow, what a WONDERFUL Supreme Lifeform -i- turned out to be." Akima said bitterly and sarcastically to herself, she pulled herself to her feet, leaning against a tree. "Ha! If only Professor Gerald could see me now. I'd be considered a failure! Grah! All those years in that damned tank must've messed me up or something." She grumbled bitterly to herself, her form straightening and taking a few causious steps away from the tree.

Her form swayed a moment, and she gave a smile, she would make it. "Or maybe, you just got rusty, and need to get back in shape." A deep voice said behind her, startling her and causing her to fall flat on her aching face in the snow that she hated oh so much. She grumbled, sitting up and spitting snow from her mouth, though it left in a dark red mass.

She turned her golden gaze around, before they rested upon the form of the one she had been searching for the entire day, Shadow. "Oh, NOW i find you when i'm not much more than a bloody mess." She said, rolling her eyes and surprisingly found that she could not get back up. She wondered how long the numbness of the snow and cold wind had been masking her pain, or at least, most of it.

"Damn it!" She snarled to herself, unaware of the stare that Shadow was giving her. "I HATE Snow! I HATE Mountains! I HATE snowy mountains!" She yelled out in frusteration, before she felt herself being lifted up and into the arms of Shadow. "I'm not wea-" she started, but stopped herself as she found herself looking into his crimson gaze.

"Ok, maybe a bit..but that doesn't mean i have to like it." She said, her gaze lowering from his and was startled that they had been moving, and she hadn't realized it. "Going too fast? Get used to it. And, the way i see it. If you can survive whatever got you like that and an avalanche, then you're not weak...at least, compared to a normal person." Shadow said, the corners of his mouth quirking up in a small smile.

"No, in fact, you're not going fast enough. If i was able to right now, i'd leave you in the dust." She said, teasing him just a bit. "Is that so? Maybe we'll have to see when you ARE able." He countered with a small smirk. "I'll hold you to that then." She said, her head resting tiredly against his shoulder. "This may sound odd, but you are Shadow right?" She asked, her eyes closed so she was unable to see his amused expression.

"Yes, i'm Shadow." He said, wondering who exactly this girl was, and why did his chest have an odd almost buzzing feel deep inside? Akima also felt the strange feeling, and was certain this was Shadow. Her Shadow. The Shadow she was supposed to steal from Maria. Her heart gave a jolt at a sudden thought.

"So, you're the Ultimate Lifeform Shadow? The one Professor Gerald had up in his Ark Colony?" She asked, and had realized they had stopped, and Shadow was looking at her. "Who are you?" He asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "I, am Akima. Supreme Lifeform, created by Professor Gerald Robotnik." She said with a small shrug. "Shadow? What..What happened to Maria?" She asked, looking up into thinly narrowed eyes.

"How do you know about Maria!" He growled, his grip tightening painfully around her. "I've lived on the Ark my ENTIRE life. How could i NOT know about Maria? Ask Megumi and Kurramo. THEY knew her alot better than i did." She said sourly, one hand clamped over her side. Shadow's grip loosened untill she could breath better once more, her fingers tightening against her side.

Akima had noticed they were moving once more, though having no idea where they were going, as she didn't know very many places yet. "Wher' 're we goin'?" She slurred a moment, and cursed her tiredness as her vision started to go dark, but not before she heard a "To a friend's house." before she finally left the land of the conscious.

)( Tails' House )(

Tails gasped as he answered the door, only to find Shadow standing there litterally covered in blood, and the figure in his arms didn't look too well either. "Well, can we come in?" Shadow asked, almost annoyed. "Oh! Yeah! What happened! Are you alright!" He started off, watching as Shadow took the vaguely familiar figure up to a guest room, the one Shadow always used when he was over visiting.

Amy, who had been watching t.v. came peeking in after hearing Tails' questions, and gasped in shock. "Oh my god! What happened!" She said, looking over at Shadow and Akima. "Well, it's a good thing you're here Amy, i was going to get Tails to call you and come over. I doubt she'd like some unknown guy messing with her." He said, pointing to Akima, who was slowly staining the bedsheets red.

"Oh! Well, i doubt she would. But, what about you?" Amy asked, concerned as Tails returned with towels and a bucket of hot water. "It's not mine. It's Akima's." He said, watching a moment as Amy nodded, understaning and then shooing them out of the room so she could clean up the bloody girl.

"What happened Shadow?" Tails asked, following the dark Hedgehog as he made his way to the shower. "My best guess is that something beat the hell out of her." He said, stepping into the bathroom and proceeding with the wonderfullness of getting all nice and clean. Good thing blood didn't stain fur.

)( A Day Later )(

"You HAVE to be KIDDING me!" Akima's angry voice rose up over the house, causing Tails to pause in his tinkering before going back to work; Shadow, having been outside, to look up from gazing over the waters at the end of Tails' runway. Sonic, who had just arrived, ran into the house and up the stairs in his usual fast actions and not very much thinkingness, and ran into the room where Amy, Rouge, and some other girl were in there.

There was a shriek and Akima fell on the floor, clutching a pillow and glaring heatedly at Sonic. Amy and Rogue were on their feet, Amy holding a blanket over Akima, and Rouge giving him a dirty look. "Hey blue boy, can't you read?" She asked, pointing to a sign on the door which clearly stated "No Boys Allowed!" in bold print.

"When do i ever take time to read something?" He said, before running out of the room when things were hurtled at him and the door slammed on his back. "Geeze, what's gotten into them. I wonder who that..Wait a minute!" He said, rushing back into the room, causing Akima to yell once more and dive for the floor. "You're that girl from the beach!"

"SSSOOOONNNIIICCC!" Amy yelled, whipping out her hammer and swinging it at the blue hedgehog, causing him to run from the room a second time, Rouge locking it with a huff. "The nerve! Why i should go out there and.." She trailed off, looking over at Amy who was helping a reluctant Akima back to the bed.

"I can't do it! I won't do it! I don't WEAR clothes!" Akima grumbled, eyes narrowed at the thought. But she would have to, it was inevitable, as jumping around from the lasers yesterday had messed up her fur untill it could regrow properly again. "Would you rather stay cooped up in this room untill it grows back, or run around out there with some of your naughty bits showing?" - "Rouge!" - "What, i'm just saying.." The two started up, making Akima groan.

"Fine! I'll...wear clothes.." She submitted with a grumble, wincing as Amy squealed in happiness. "I know JUST the dress that would go GREAT with your coloring!" She said, causing Akima to nearly choak. "NO DRESSES!" She yelled, twitching. "I may have to wear clothes, but i don't have to like it. And i'll only wear what i like." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, well now honey. I know just the PERFECT leather outfit for you! You'd make it work!"

Akima groaned at Rouge, and looked around the room, moving from the bed over to a dresser and a closet, peeking through them. "Hey now, what're you doing?" Rouge asked, watching the red and black hedgehog. "Finding something i like to wear." Akima said, as she dug through some of Shadow's clothes that he, surprise, never seemed to wear.

She pulled out a black muscle shirt and slipped that on over her head, grumbling because it just felt weird to have clothing on. She continued to dig around, untill she found a pair of black thin shorts that seemed to fit nicely, and was nice and soft too. Amy was giggling and Rouge was grinning as she blinked over at them. "What? Their shorts, and a shirt..Clothes!" Akima said as she slowly and pain stakingly made her way to and out the door.

"Do you think we should tell her?" Amy asked Rouge who just grinned. "No, i say she learns on her own..Lets go see what happens!" Rouge said with a smirk, the two sneaking down slowly and silently to spy on Akima as she walked around in a pair of -snicker- boxers!

)( Downstairs )(

As Akima made her way down the stairs, she noticed that the blue hedgehog was talking to a red echidna, and the fox child was emerging from another area of the house. She blinked as she made it down to the bottom of the stairs, noticing their stairs. "What? What is it?" She said, eyes narrowing as Knuckles just gave her an odd look, Tails was blinking at her, and Sonic was grinning and snickering.

"Pfft, you all are weird." She said as Shadow came inside, only to freeze and stare at her. "...Are you..wearing boxers?" He asked, calmly like. "What about the boxers, it's just a damned shirt and shorts!" She said with a growl. "Are you wearing..-my- boxers..?" Shadow asked, causing Sonic to snort and fall over laughing.

Akima snarled and grabbed the nearest thing, a wrench, and chunking it at Sonic's head, which connected, causing Shadow and Knuckles to snort a moment as Sonic "Hey!"ed. "Wait, these are -your- clothes?" Akima asked, eyeing Shadow, and then the clothes. "Pfft, anything's better than the things Amy and Rouge wanted me to wear!" She said, grumbling.

"Here's and easier question. Do you have any idea, what boxers are?" Shadow asked, arching an eyeridge at her. "Damn it, what the hell is with the questions!" She snarled, glaring at them, causing Knuckles to give a small smirk, and Tails to giggle. Sonic was still nursing his head from where the wrench struck it, but he also gave a small snicker.

Akima's ears twitched, and she would've swore she heard faint muffled giggling from above her. "Akima. Those shorts you're wearing, are a type called boxers." Shadow said, almost amusedly. "I -know- what boxers are." Akima said in an annoyed voice. "You do?" Knuckles asked, looking at her.

"Yes, i have a brother, who wears them all the time. I STILL say their better than dresses and leather!" Akima said with a twitch, causing Sonic to snicker again. "You have a brother?" Rouge asked, watching as Akima made her way over to the couch and flopped down on it. "Hey! Be careful! You might open up that wound again!" Amy called from the stairs.

"Yes, well, we're not blood related, but he's like an older brother who sorta adopted me back...back when we were little children. He and our little sister grew up together. They were at the beach the otherday." Akima said with a shrug, a hand presing against her side a moment, where the laser had blasted a hole there.

"Oh, you mean the cute blue rabbit?" Amy asked, leaning forwards a bit with a dazed smile. "Yeah, that's him." She said, cringing a moment as she remembered she hadn't been home in over a day, and that Kurramo and Megumi were going to livid. "What's the matter, your side hurting you?" Amy asked, her form instantly down the stairs and pulling at the hem of the shirt to look at the bandaged wound.

Akima swatted at the pink hedgehog's hands with a grumble. "No. I'm fine. I'll be fine. I just..need to get home..I haven't been there in a while, and their going to wanna know what happened." Akima said, getting up and making her way to the door. "You can't go! You're hardly in any shape to do anything!" Amy said, running after her.

"I'll be fine, i don't live to far away." Akima said with a small smirk. "Really?" Rouge asked, Akima nodding. "Yeah, it's just a jump, skip.." she said, continuing on for a few minutes, "And a a short hop and a long drop away!" She said with a smirk, her form out the door before anyone could stop her. By the time they got to the door, her form was nowhere to be seen.

"Well how do you like that, she bailed on us! Speaking of which, i have some work i've got to go do..See you later!" Rouge said, taking flight and disappearing. "Yeah, i need to go back to the master emerald." Knuckles said, leaving as well. "As much as i'd love to stay and chat, but the last bus to Station Square is leaving soon." Amy said, waving to Tails, Sonic, and Shadow as she went to the platform and boarded the train.

"Oh yeah! Tv's all mine now!" Sonic said as he ran inside, Tails following after him. Shadow made his way down the steps, and over towards the trolly going towards the jungle. "You know, that was rather foolish what you just did. You could've opened up that hole in your side." He said, looking down at Akima who was laying in the cart.

"You know, i was totally serious about how far i lived away, i just live in the jungle..care to join me? I'm sure you'd have fun with Megumi and Kurramo, swapping Maria stories and everything." Akima said, nearly yelling in surprise as Shadow took her in his arms once more. "What are you do-" - "Which way? It's faster if we do this, besides, i'm sure you miss your siblings." Shadow said as they entered into the forest area.

)( End Chapter )(

Whoo! Yeah! Another chapter! Go me! Sorry if things seem a bit rushed or anything, i had a rare bout of inspiration and i needed to get it out before i lost it. Then you all would be sending me more threatening reviews to hurry up and get this chapter out. That's all for now, the next chapter is in the works up in my head and stuff. I'll try to get it out and posted as soon as i can.

Boy, Akima sure did pull one over those G.U.N. didn't she? I know there're going to be questions about it, probably. Maybe. Not sure. But i'm going to list reasons why anyways. To why they actually caught her..attention. So to speak. Akima had been running at a moderate average speed, which is a good thing, for now, they think she's not the one they want.

Also, the reason why they caught her off guard and was able to hit her, was because she was frankly caught unprepared, she -is- a bit rusty, and, all that snow and ice and coldness was effecting her too. Not even Supreme Lifeforms are immune to high cold temperatures such as on mountains.

And, lasers hurt, i mean, in games they tend to evaporate stuff..or..insta-kill people..or something. So she would've had that effect her too, with the cold slowing her down than she already was and all, and she isn't superman who just has bullets and lasers and stuff bounce off of him.

Anyways, that's enough of that, if you have anyquestions about anything, don't hesitate to ask! Leave me some nice reviews please. Or reviews that help out, but flames will only be used to fuel my pyromaniac tendancies.


	3. Settling In

Hello everyone. Sorry this has taken so long, but my old computer broke, and i, unfortunately, lost all my stories and chapters i had on it. I had two whole chapters to put up on this story alone, but, sadly, fate is cruel. Now i have to try to remember what i had written, so that all of you can enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sonic and Co. I do however, own various sonic games for the gameboy advance, the gamecube, and the Dreamcast. Character-wise, i do own Akima The Hedgehog, Megumi The Fox, and Kurramo The Rabbit.

Key: "Talking", 'Thinking', _Flashback/Past_, )( Scene Change )(, and (( Comments from yours truely. ))

)( Chapter Start )(

Shadow paused as he looked at the building, no, base, that Akima directed him to, eyeridge arched."Hey, don't look at me. It was Megumi's idea." Akima stated with her arms crossed as Shadow held her. She squirmed out of his arms, walking over to a door with a panel on it, rapidly typing in some numbers before it beeped and a "Welcome, Akima" was heard, Shadow staring at her.

"My idea." She mumbled as she walked into the door, Shadow right behind her, his curiosity peaked at the idea of talking to someone who also knew Maria. "AKIMA!" Someone shouted, before a ball of brown and white ran into her, knocking her into a wall with a slight wince. "Hey, Megumi." She said, patting the younger girl upon the head.

"Well, Akima goes out for a run, and brings back a boyfriend." Kurramo stated, a slight smirk upon his face, before he frowned, looking at her. "I thought you hated clothes?" He asked, shifting his gaze from Shadow to Akima, who was trying to pry Megumi from her. "Akima...Why are you bleeding?" Megumi asked, having pulled away from the female hedgehog, and was looking at her gloves, which were red, from having hugged the older girl.

"It's, kind of a long story." Akima mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she shifted her golden gaze off to the side. "Anyways, i'm going to my room." Akima stated, turning to walk off. "Nuh uh. You know the drill 'Kima. You gotta go in The Juvi." Kurramo said, crossing his arms and looking at her. Akima stopped, looking back over her shoulder at them. "I'd like to see you TRY." She said, eyes narrowed.

Ten minutes later, Akima was slung over Kurramo's back as he entered a lab of some sort, Shadow following behind him and Megumi as Akima irritatedly tapped against Kurramo's back. "You just got lucky. If it wasn't for that damned room full of whatever the HELL those were, you wouldn't have got me." She muttered, letting her brother place her in the Juvi, which was just a regular tube like tank.

She sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat upon the bottom of the tank, letting wires and the likes get placed on her, most of which had needles on the end and had to be stuck in various body parts. Kurramo placed a face mask over her nose and mouth, before he sealed up the tube, glowing aqua colored liquid quickly filling it untill it was full. Akima banged on the side of the tank, eyes narrowed as Kurramo flipped a switch.

"Whoopse. Almost forgot, heh heh. Don't worry 'Kima, it's not like YOU wouldn't survive if i forgot to give you air." He said, grinning. Akima's eyes just narrowed even further, before she carefully crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the inside of the wall of the tank, eyes closing as she appeared to go to sleep. "Hmm. Everything looks normal, But-" Megumi paused, looking at a computer screen a moment. "It'd still take either about a full day or two, or many sessions in the Juvi before she's back to 100."

"She said you two knew Maria..?" Shadow stated, more than asking. Kurramo just arched an eyeridge, pointing towards Megumi who had lit up at the name. "Megumi knows her better than Akima or i did. For one, Maria...highly disliked Akima, and two, i was kinda too old to play 'dolls' with them." Kurramo said with a slight roll of his eyes.

"...'highly disliked'?" Shadow inquired, looking at the blue rabbit. "Well, i wouldn't say -that-" Megumi said, wandering over to Shadow with a book of sorts. "Maria was..jealous." Megumi said with a nod. Taking a seat at a table that was in the lab, pulling open the book, to reveil a photo album. "What would Maria have to be jealous about?" Shadow said, peering at the book, to find various pictures of the three as they were younger, and of..a younger Maria as well.

"She didn't like the idea of Akima being your 'friend' as well as hers, because The Professor said that he was creating you, and that Maria would get to be your friend." Kurramo said, taking a seat infront of the computer and leaning back in the chair, gluing his eyes to the data rolling acrss the screen, Akima's data. "What do you mean by 'friend'?" Shadow demanded, eyes narrowing a bit at the older male. "Just what you want to think it is." was the reply he got.

It was about an hour later as Megumi was showing Shadow pictures of her and Maria using Kurramo as a test subject on make-up colors, and a few female scientists giggling at the poor disgruntled child who looked like he'd rather be doing a series of very painful testing than be sitting there and be used as a beauty subject when the computer screen went red and an alert started sounding.

"What's going on?!" Shadow demanded standing up, looking at Kurramo, who was frantically tapping things into the computer. He glanced over at Akima, and stood almost entranced as she was standing in the tank, hands entwined in her hair, almost pulling it out as she clutched her head, eyes tightly closed as dark purple energy whipped around her dangerously.

The mask came off of her face as she screamed, but no sound came out, only bubbles as she then breathed in the liquid. Shadow dived and pulled Megumi under the table as the energy lashed out, and shattered the tank; water and glass shards exploding outwards, Akima's form landing on all fours at the bottom. Kurramo leaped over to her, hauling her up by the waist and yanking the wires off of her and holding her upside-down.

"Megumi! Air!" he yelled as the young vixen rushed forwards and clamped her mouth over Akima's pushing air into her lungs. Megumi quickly moved to the side as Kurramo squeezed, causing Akima to expell the liquid and gasp for air, mumbling something as she hung limp in her brother's arms. "What..the..HELL was that?" Shadow asked, arching an eyeridge at them.

"Well, she can't breath Juvi water, so we had to give her air." Kurramo stated as he glanced around the lab, flicking glass from his fur with one free hand. "That's not what i ment." Shadow said, arms crossing over his chest. "Well, if -I- don't know, then Kurramo wouldn't..and..i have no idea.." Megumi said, scratching the side of her head. "I'm into technology, not biology." She stated as an afterthought.

"I'll be right back, i'm going to take her to her room." Kurramo said, walking out of the lab, Megumi grabbing the photo book and walking out of the lab as well, Shadow following behind her as she walked into a livingroom type of place. "She'll be fine. She wouldn't be the Supreme Lifeform if she wasn't." Megumi said with a small smile. "She just needs some rest, She'll be up in a few hours. Common, let me finish showing you the pictures."

It was about an hour later as Shadow sat in a chair, talking to Megumi and Kurramo about their lives on the Ark. "So you two were used for general testing?" He asked, arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah. That's about it. They really didn't do much for us, made me stronger, and made Megumi to fly higher, faster, and longer. Akima...She's a differant story." Kurramo said, running a hand through his hair.

"They decided to use her as a secondary project to that of, well, yours. As far as we know, Akima never had a prototype like you did. I guess they learned from their mistakes before they started on your experimentation. Akima isn't as...refined..as you are, she does have her mistakes and weaknesses, even a few strengths that you probably don't have." Kurramo stated, sitting back on the couch.

"You see, the Supreme Lifeform project was created to co-balance with the Ultimate Lifeform project. Essentually, it's like you two were made to go with each other. You have strengthes she doesn't, and she has strengths you don't. The Professor had planned on pulling us out of our tanks and introducing you to us, we already knew all about you." Megumi said, leaning forwards in her seat.

"But then, the accident..well..G.U.N. came and everything was thrown off whacko. I remember, Akima became almost obcessed with you. She'd often fall asleep by your tank, she'd even bring books and read to you, even though she never knew if you could hear or not..Maria never approved, but, after the incident, Akima never cared about things or people, except Me, Kurramo, and you. She'd only listen to the Professor too." Megumi stated, her tails twitching.

Shadow made a slight face at the mention of Akima reading books to him, but covered it up as he continued to listen, giving a questioning look at the word 'incident'. "Well, from what i heard, was that Maria played hide and seek with Akima, and forgot about her. Akima had hid in one of those walk-in freezers, and accidentally got locked in. When the doctors and scientists found her, she had nearly died, frozen. It took weeks for her to get better, it kind of explains why she hates the cold and snow, things of the like." Kurramo explained.

"I think it's funny, because Akima always used to say that she was being pulled towards you when we were younger, that something in her chest made her go to you. I always thought it was just young love, but apparantly..it's something..more.." Kurramo said with a slight smile. 'That would explain the odd feeling in my chest the otherday..and even now..' Shadow muttered in his head, standing up. "I have to go..But i'll be back. There's something i have to do." He said, standing up and going out the door.

Akima woke up a few hours later, almost jumping in surprise at a smallish medium sized box beside her bed, it had red wrapping paper, with purple ribbons on it. She looked around, before lifting it onto her bed, pulling the top off. She picked up a card that was inside and read it, the card saying. "I hope you like it. I had to guess your size..Maybe this type of clothing would be comfortable for you to wear. - Shadow" upon it.

'He got me clothes..?' She thought in her mind, setting the card aside and digging under the black colored tissue like paper that covered the outfit. She pulled one part out, looking it over, finding it to be a purple tank-top like shirt with black streaks on the left and right sides. She 'Hmm..'ed a moment, pulling it over her head, trying it on, and found to her surprise, it was a nice fit, and it was actually very comfortable.

She held up the box, pulling her covers aside, to where her legs hung off the edge, digging some more in the box. She pulled a pair of extreamly short purple shorts that also had black streaks on the right and left sides of it out of the box, and slid them on, standing up as she looked at herself in her full length mirror. 'Hmm..Not bad, i suppose, it -is- comfortable.' She thought to herself, combing her fingers through her hair.

She paused as she looked at the box, digging around even more in it, wondering why it was still heavyish, and pulled out a pair of black boots, with a purple mark that went from the top of the ankle, and down to the tips of the toes. "Eh, why not?" She muttered to herself, slipping on the knee high boots, and tugging the zippers that were facing the inside of her legs to the top.

"Geeze, Shadow sure does know how to spoil a girl.." She said, giving a faint smirk. "But, it was thoughtful of him.." She said, walking around her room for a moment, getting a feel for the outfit. It wasn't all that bad, considering that the shorts felt a little shorter than she probably would've liked, but they were fine; besides, he did say he had to guess her size..

)( The Next Day )(

Akima wandered around the Mystic Ruins at a leisure pace, she still had a few wounds that had yet to heal, but she was glad that her fur at least had grown back. Even though it had, she couldn't help but wear the outfit Shadow had given her; she liked it, and besides, it had her favorite colors on it. She sat near the waterfall, her legs dangling over the edge, though crossed, while she leaned back against her arms, head tilted back and eyes closed.

"Hey don't i know you from somewhere?" Someone asked, her, and she cracked open a golden eye to look somewhat upside down like at Sonic. "Piss off, i don't feel like being annoyed right now." She said, closing her eye once more and made an attempt at ignoring him. "Yeah, i'd know THAT attitude anywhere, your personality is still ugly, but i can't say the same about that outfit..It makes you look sexy kinda hot." He said with a smirk.

Akima 's ear twitched, before she was up and kicking Sonic into the small pool of water below, who began to thrash and flail around and yelling at the top of his lungs that he was drowning. "What's going on..?" Shadow asked, appearing and staring at Sonic. "He's a moron, that's what's going on." Akima said with a roll of her eyes, smirking as Sonic thrashed around in chest deep water.

"Everyone knows THAT, but what happened." He asked, staring at her, and couldn't belive she was actually wearing the present he gave her. "He said something i didn't like. So i kicked him in the pond." Was all she said, getting bored of Sonic's idiotic behavior and walking away from the area. "Ah, i see, so do you hit everyone who says something you don't like?" He asked, walking alongside her.

"Yeah, just about. Kurramo, hell yeah. Megumi, never. The closest i'll ever come to striking her would be a playful slap on the arm or back." She said seriously, leaning against a tree. "Why is that?" Shadow asked, leaning right next to her. "Kurramo i know can take my power, even if i sometimes forget how strong i can be. Megumi, i'm..i'm afraid of hurting her." She said with a shrug.

"Ah, i see. Do you think i could handle your power?" He teased, smirking at her. "Oh, i doubt it, i'm ssssoooo strong." She said with a smirk. "I like the outfit, by the way, shorts are a bit short though." She said, closing her eyes. "Ha! As if you can catch me!" He retaliated, before smirking a bit. "I got them a little short on purpose, i figured it would bring out that scrawny body of yours." He said, grinning down at her.

Akima's eyes jerked open as she jumped away from him. "Why you...you! Grah!" She twitched, leaping at him, though he moved out of the way, and they played a slight game of tag, before Shadow let her hit him on the arm, her eyes narrowed, but playful. He froze as she unepectedly jumped on him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, hugging him. "Well, i'm sure my 'scrawny little body' pleases you, doesn't it?" She asked, snickering.

"Wha-! I never said that!" Shadow said, his dark face darkening even more in a blush, unrealizing that he had returned the hug she had given him. "I'm sorry, i can't help but tease." She whispered in his ear, smirking a moment as she pressed her lips against his cheek before slipping out of his arms. Shadow had completely frozen at the kiss, eyes wide and his face darkened still, though he snapped out of it after a moment or two.

Sonic meanwhile had realized that no, he was not drowning, and pulled himself out of the waterfall area, soaking wet and very unhappy. He stood watching the two, and almost froze like Shadow had when Akima had kissed him. 'Whaaaat?! But, i'm Sonic The Hedgehog! The Hero! All the girls love me! Why that faker?! I'm better than he is!' Sonic thought perhapse a tad jealously in his mind, making his way to Tails' workshop to go find a towel to dry off with.

"Hey Shadow! I have an idea. Do you like dancing?" Akima asked, looking at him as he crossed his arms and leaned against a tree. "I suppose. Why?" He asked, looking at her. "Because, you're going to go to a club with me tonight, right?" She asked, smirking as he faltered a moment. "I am..?" He asked, staring at her. "Yeah, you just said so." She said with an ever growing smirk, sitting back against the tree Shadow was leaning against. "I am.." He muttered to himself.

It was a few hours later when Tails was walking down a hallway in his house, pausing by Shadow's door. "Do i -have- to wear that?" Shadow asked, and a female laugh was heard. "No, but it would be nice, i bought it for you..and i'm wearing the outfit YOU got for ME." She replied, and Tails just stared at the door, wondering what was going on.

Tails was sitting on his couch with Sonic, and Amy, who was trying to hug her blue hero, when Akima and Shadow came downstairs. Akima still had on the outfit that Shadow had given her, a pleased smile on her face that Shadow decided to wear the outfit she got for him. It really wasn't much, just a pair of dark red baggy pants, and a dark red mesh shirt that Akima thought looked good on him.

"Where are you two going?" Sonic asked, trying to get out of Amy's grip. "Not that it's any of YOUR buisiness, but we're going on a date." Akima said with a smirk, taking one of Shadow's arms in her own, leaning close to him. Shadow twitched an ear at the motion, but didn't give any heed, but it would be rather interesting to see if the faker would get jealous.

"A date! Sonic, why don't WE go on a date too?!" Amy squealed, hugging him even tighter. "Looks like you have your own things to do, common Akima." He said, setting his free hand upon one of hers that held his arm, and the two walking out of the door, smirking at the glare Sonic gave them. "Heh, that was fun." Akima said as they got outside.

"So where are we going?" He asked her, and she only smirked. "Well, i'd show you in a race, but, i'm still not well enough for racing just yet. I'm not 'allowed' to do any fast movements, because Megumi and Kurramo don't want my wounds to 'open up again'." She said with a roll of her golden gaze. "How about you give the directions, and i'll do the speed." He said, smirking as he pulled her into his arms.

Akima smirked back, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her close. "I thought you'd never ask." They stopped by a store before they got to the club, Akima buying a small bag of things Shadow didn't know. Once they got into the club, she pulled him over to the side of the dark club, where people were dancing around in the middle of the floor, multicolored glowing things on them.

Shadow held still as Akima opened up some of the packages, putting red glow bracelets, necklaces, and even a glow belt she made out of smaller glow bracelets. "It's all about the fun." She said with a smirk, as she put her own upon herself, consisting of purple glow necklaces, bracelets, and a belt. She then grabbed his hand, dragging him out into the crowd and began to dance, Shadow right there dancing behind her.

After a while, the two grabbed a small table, ordering some drinks, and a small snack for the base of their drinking. They sat there talking about random things as they ate and drank, not because they were hungry, but it would take a longer time to get drunk with a base than it would if they hadn't..well..Akima knew it would for her, but she had no idea about Shadow.

A song came on that she liked, and she pulled Shadow back onto the dance floor, not noticing that they were being silently watched. Rouge had came to the club for a few drinks, and was surprised, that Shadow was here, with that red hedgehog girl. She was fairly certain that neither of them were old enough to drink, and assumed that one glare from Shadow shut up any questions about their age.

'Well, lets give them a drinking experiance they'll never forget.' She thought to herself, waving over one of the waitresses, slipping her some money, and pointing at the table Shadow and Akima were just at. "What do you want me to slip them?" She asked, hand upon her hip. "Use your imagination, i don't care." Rouge said, turning back towards her own drink.

The waitress casually walked around the tables in the area, pulling out about four pills from a pocket and slipping two into each drink, before she wandered on over to another table, taking a couple's orders. The song ended and they came back to their table, unsuspecting as they downed the rest of their drinks, and finished off a plate of nachos that they shared.

It was about Three in the morning when Shadow ran them back to Tails' home, at a slightly slower rate than when they went there. He probably could've made it to his or Akima's house, but it was a slightly longer trip, and his vision kept blurring. He silently made it up to his room he had at the workshop, shutting the door and setting Akima on the bed. She was awake, but, she also had vision blurring problems and every few minutes her eyes would glaze over, before she shook her head and refocused them.

'Damn! I know i didn't have THAT much to drink...or did i..?' She thought to herself, watching as Shadow took off his glow accessories and peeled off the shirt and pants. He then pulled off his shoes and socks, setting his ringed gloves on a bedside table. "Should i..?" She started, pausing as he looked at her. "If you want." He said with a small shrug, sliding under the covers of the bed.

Akima pulled off her glow jewlery, letting them fall in a small pile on the floor beside the bed, reaching down to take off her socks and boots, setting them neatly against a wall. She paused, glancing over at Shadow, who had polightly turned his back to her, before she stripped herself of the tank top and shorts, setting them in a small pile beside her boots.

She snuck under the blankets, snuggling next to Shadow as he turned back over, sliding a hand over her waist to hold her against him. "You know, this kinda reminds me of when i was still a child, and Megumi would come and sneak into my bed when she had a bad dream. Sometimes, she went to Kurramo, or Maria..When i had bad dreams though, i grabbed my pillow, my blanket, and curled up out of sight beside the tank you were in." She said with a small chuckle.

"Is that so? I never really had bad dreams." He lied, snuggling closer to her as she pressed her face against his chest, eyes closed. He also closed his eyes, because the room was starting to sway a bit and it was giving him a headache. He's had drinks before, more than he's had tonight, and they never did anything like THIS to him.

He looked down at Akima again, the red female having drifted off to sleep already. He frowned and closed his eyes once more, if he was having it bad, then Akima must be having it worse. She was the first to notice that the walls were moving, and she was standing still, at least, she had thought she was standing still, and then her vision started to get a bit blurry, and it was hard to focus on anything.

He sighed, moving to where his chin settled softly against the top of Akima's head. She was comfy to sleep with, like a giant..teddy bear or something, he thought. Akima shifted in her sleep, her smaller form settled atop Shadow's as he looked at her in amusement, thinking that she probably felt the same way about him being comfy. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes, falling to sleep.

)( The Next Morning )(

Tails yawned as he walked through the hallway, pausing at Shadow's door, wondering if he had came to stay the night last night. Akima looked at Shadow, who was currently still asleep, and using her as a giant pillow. She shifted a moment, pausing as he growled in his sleep; she sighed, lifting a hand and running it through his hair, before she began to poke at his ear.

Shadow growled and mumbled something into Akima's chest, causing her to pause a moment, before she started poking. She was trying to wake him up, the nicest she could, because she heard light footsteps in the hallway, comming their way. "Shadow.." She whispered into his ear, and he replied by groaning her name. She arched an eyeridge, looking at him, wondering when he'd wake up.

She grumbled, poking at his ear once more, before he lifted his head, looking into her eyes with a slight 'Why are you waking me up?' kind of glower. She just smirked as she continued to poke at his ear, before he got fed up with it and grabbed her hands, pinning them over her head with another growl as his face was inches from her own.

A squeak escaped her throat before she could restrain it from the motion, one of her knees moving up to settle against Shadow's side. He paused, blinking, as he secured her hands with only one of his own, so she wouldn't poke him anymore, and moved his free hand down, settling it upon her thigh, wondering why it was there, and noticing that there was a lack of blankets on his bed.

It was right then that Tails opened the door and peeked in, before going bright red and squeaking out a "Sorry!" Before he quickly shut the door again, Shadow looking at Akima in bewilderment. "What's his problem?" He asked, looking at her smirk. "Well, if you hadn't noticed, our posistion is very...inappropriate...and two, you better stop poking ME if i can't poke you back." She said, her face turning a little bit red.

"What..?" He started before he fully woke up, realizing that he had been laying on her, his legs between hers and the result of a very..enjoyable dream, had been pressing against her. "Sorry..i.." He started, jumping away, but she just snickered a moment. "No worrys, -i- won't tell..But we might have to silence the kid." She said, sitting up and stretching her form.

"Shower..." He muttered, before he left the room at a quick pace, to the bathroom down the hall. Akima sighed as she looked around the room for a few minutes, before smirking a moment. She wandered to the door, popping her head out, looking both ways before she sped as a red blur to the bathroom as well, closing the door and locking it.

She smirked as she could see Shadow in the shower through the smokey colored glass door. She debated in her mind a moment, before she snuck into the shower behind him, smiling. She leaned close to his ear, whispering "You missed a spot" as she settled her hands on his back. Shadow nearly jumped out of his fur as he whirled around, eyes wide and his face tinged red as he looked at her, her fur getting soaked from the spray of the water.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked, watching as she slid her fingers through her wet hair. "Well, i figured since we slept together, we could shower together as well." She said with a smirk, watching Shadow's face blush at the way she put her words. "Common, i don't Bite." She said, before adding "Unless you want me to." as an afterthought with another small smirk.

Shadow breathed a small sigh of relief as shower was all that Akima did, and perhapse just a tiny disappointed that, that was all she did. He cut the water as they finished, Akima squeezing water from her hair and fur as much as she could before stepping out. They were in the process of drying off, when he looked up at her, her form clad in a towel as she approached him.

"Thanks for the fun time last night." She said, her form pressing closer to his as she slid her arms around his neck, in a hug. He blinked, hugging back with a small smile. "Any time." He muttered, before his eyes widened as she pressed her lips against his. He didn't fight her as she kissed him, and he held her a bit closer to him, deepening the kiss as he lightly pressed her against the bathroom wall.

"Hey! Hurry up in there!" Sonic yelled, needing to use the bathroom himself. The two broke apart, blushing, before Shadow yelled out at Sonic. "Yeah yeah, give me a moment." He said, almost regretfully letting Akima go and backing away. Akima moved towards the door, unlocking it and exiting, Shadow right behind her. "Hey! I thought Shadow was..." He started, before seeing Shadow come out. "What the hell?!" He said, looking at the two.

Amy bounded up the stairs at that moment, blinking at the towel clad forms of Shadow and Akima. "Commutual Showering, you two should try it sometime." Akima said with a grin, Amy's eyes lighting up at the thought, before Sonic twitched an ear. "Also, i wouldn't mind if we finished what we started, later." Akima said, looking at Shadow and winking, Shadow smirking in response.

"Geeze, get a room!" Sonic said, rolling his eyes as he walked into the bathroom. "Hmm..good idea...Why not, Shadow?" She said with a grin, wandering towards his room as he followed after her. "After you." He said, causing Sonic, who was in the bathroom, to gag at their actions. "I didn't mean that LITTERALLY!" He yelled out, slamming the bathroom door closed and locking it.

)( Chapter End )(

Hey guys. How's that for a chapter? I hope you all enjoy it, and send me your opinions and review. Not much going on right now, maybe start another chapter, and introduce Tios. But, i'm also close to finishing the third chapter for my G1 Transformer story...again..If only my old computer hadn't ate all my chapters and stories..but, no use in complaining about that now, i just have to redo them as best as i can remember.

So send me some reviews, let me know how you like my story so far, like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know, but unprovoaked flames i will use for my giant bonfire i'm going to use for that hunk of scrap that was my old computer. Also, i'm sorry i didn't get to reviel my new character in this chapter, but she will most DEFANANTLY be in the next chapter.. So untill later, see ya.


	4. An Interesting Turn Of Events

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sonic and Co. I do however, own various sonic games for the gameboy advance, the gamecube, and the Dreamcast. Character-wise, i do own Akima The Hedgehog, Megumi The Fox, Tios The Echidna, Kurramo The Rabbit, Ember The Hedgehog, and Islanya Kintobor.

Key: "Talking", 'Thinking', _Flashback/Past_, )( Scene Change )(, and (( Comments from yours truely. ))

)( Last Time )(

Amy bounded up the stairs at that moment, blinking at the towel clad forms of Shadow and Akima. "Commutual Showering, you two should try it sometime." Akima said with a grin, Amy's eyes lighting up at the thought, before Sonic twitched an ear. "Also, i wouldn't mind if we finished what we started, later." Akima said, looking at Shadow and winking, Shadow smirking in response.

"Geeze, get a room!" Sonic said, rolling his eyes as he walked into the bathroom. "Hmm..good idea...Why not, Shadow?" She said with a grin, wandering towards his room as he followed after her. "After you." He said, causing Sonic, who was in the bathroom, to gag at their actions. "I didn't mean that LITTERALLY!" He yelled out, slamming the bathroom door closed and locking it.

)( Chapter Start )(

Akima smirked as she sat on Shadow's bed, snickering a moment. "That was fun." She said, glancing over at him as he pulled on his gloves and shoes. "It was rather entertaining, for a few minutes." He replied, shifting his gaze over to the window as Akima got dressed as well.

It was later that day, and Rouge was on Angel Island, humming to herself. She froze as Knuckles appeared infront of her, arms crossed and frowning. "What are YOU doing here?" He demanded, Rouge smirking. "Why, hunting for treasure of course. Oh, don't worry, i'm not after that emerald of yours..this time it's a differant one." Rouge said as she walked into a cave.

"Differant one hmm?" Knuckles asked, following after her into the cave. They walked around in it for about thirty minutes before Rouge apparantly found what she had been looking for. It was a giant mural of the old altar, the old Echidna shrine, and a giant mural of a large stone in the middle of them.

"What IS this?" Knuckles asked, looking at it in the extreamly dim cave. "Treasure." Rouge said with a smirk, placing six of the seven chaos emeralds in the slots around the stone. "It says i only need four, but six outta guarantee my treasure. And all i have to do it recite some old saying i found." Rouge said.

"The servers are the seven chaos. Chaos is power; power passed down to the Treasure of both Guardian and Tribe. With four chaos will the Treasure be unsealed. The Treasure holds power over the seven servers. When the Protector and the Treasure unite, the Servers and the Controller will sing in harmony with the Angel." Rouge said, smirking.

"Never heard that one before...Hey! What's going on?!" Knuckles said as the entire cave began to shake. The choas emeralds disappeared, causing Rouge to cry out. The mural began to split, and a large, and dark green emerald came forth, causing Rouge to gasp at the size of it.

She reached out to touch it, but it began to crack and crumble, causing Rouge to cry out in anguish, her treasure couldn't be breaking! The emerald burst outwards into little tiny crystaline shards, before they flew back together, a form appearing and glowing a faint green color as the shards disappated.

"What the hell?!" Rouge said staring at the darkly glowing figure. The figure said something faint, in a language neither one could understand, before it changed, to english. "Only Guardians allowed here. You must leave." It was saying to Rouge, a hand reaching out towards her, before she began to glow a bright green, and disappeared.

"What did you do to her?!" Knuckles demanded, wondering who it was that Rouge just unleashed. "Teleported.." The figure said in a faint voice, Knuckles unable to tell if it were male or female. The figure's glow dissipated, and the figure fell to the floor of the cave, passed out, Knuckles assumed.

He grumbled at the work Rouge had left him with, and grabbed the figure, carrying it out of the damnable cave and out into the almost painfully bright sunlight. Knuckles paused a moment, looking at the figure..it was a dark forest green female..like him, an Echidna. 'What the hell is going on?!' He thought with a sigh, taking her over near the Master Emerald.

)( In The Time Of Ansestors )(

_"The child is cursed!" - "We must throw her to the fire god!" - "Sacrifice her!" - "Curses must not live!" A mob of Echidna were yelling to their cheif, who stood at the entrance of the temple, a shamen holding the aforementioned child. "SILENCE!" The cheif yelled, arms going wide._

_The crowd quieted down, wondering what their leader was going to say about the infant. "It was my daughter's wish to partner the Guardian of the emeralds. I did not approve, but she did so anyway. There is not much i can do to change that fact. As BOTH my daughter and the Guardian have left this world." Pachamachac said. (( I THINK that's the right spelling..))_

_"However, there is already a solution to the infant. Our Shamen suggests to seal her away, so that we would not bring bad luck upon us for destroying the cursed one, as it could leave it's evil upon us. The infant will be sealed for all time, and we may then begin to rebuild what is left of our home.." He said, stepping into the temple, the shamen following after him._

)( Present Time )(

"Ugh...My head.." The female said as she sat up, hand upon her head as she looked around in amazement. "Who are you?" A voice asked her, causing her to turn around and blink at the red echidna male there. "Well...if i can remember correctly..Tios the Echidna...And your name, Guardian?" She asked, standing up.

"How do YOU know that I am a guardian?" Knuckles demanded, eyes narrowing. "Why, by the Guardian mark of course." Tios stated matter-of-factly, pointing to his chest, where the white cresent shape was visable. "And you know what that is because..?" Knuckles asked, arms crossed.

"Because, i also have one, my FATHER was Guardian of the Master Emerald before i was born. I was to take his place...but he and mother died, and i did not get my training...my GRANDFATHER.." Here she said the term sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

"Decided that i was cursed and had me sealed away in that stupid rock untill some idiot would take it in their mind and free me...Tell you what though, i'm GLAD to get out of that thing." Tios said, stretching out. Knuckles just stared at her...Her father had been a Guardian..like he was..and she was supposed to do what he did..but never got the chance.

Wheels in his head began to turn, thinking. If she was a born Guardian, like he was, who was he to say no to her? Besides, he could train her, how hard could it be? Plus, he'd have some company..she may not be all that bad to be around, and plus, it could make his job easier to do with someone to help him..

He came back to his senses, Tios standing infront of him and waving a hand around. "Helloooo? Fine! Ignore me! Jeeze!" She said, huffing and turning around, arms crossed. "So how do you get a name like Tios?" Knuckles asked, looking at her. "Oh..NOW you notice me." She said, sighing a moment.

"It's a combination of my parents' names. My mother, Tical, princess to the Echidna tribe, blah blah blah. My father, the Guardian, also the river god, Chaos." Tios said, shrugging and inspecting a rock, before launching it off the edge of the island. "My name is Knuckles, i don't know who MY parents are." Knuckles finally replied, wondering if the Chaos she had mentioned was the one he knew...and deep down, he knew it was.

Tios walked around the altar area, exploring things and the like, all the while, wearing nothing but a pair of gold bracelets with six differant gems on it, and a gold necklace that fell to her chest. Her quills/hair fell down to her hips, and swayed with each small movement she made, and she had beautiful amthyst eyes.

Since she wore nothing, he was clearly able to see the white cresant upon her own chest, he had always thought that it was just part of his coloring, it seemed he was wrong. "Hey, i have an idea, let's spar, let me see how good you are. No powers or anything, just strength." Knuckles said, watching as she looked at him with a blink. "Kay." She replied.

Meanwhile, Rouge, who had been teleported, appeared in Tails' house, landing on Sonic, Tails, even Shadow and Akima who were mostly sitting on the couch. "What the?! Rouge?! What's going on?!" Sonic demanded, pushing her off of him and Tails, Shadow and Akima having already moved away.

"I..I don't know..One moment, I was on the floating island, the next, some stranger appeared and did something freaky! I bet Knuckles is fighting him right now!" Rouge said, jumping up and flying out the door. "I guess we should go see if Knuckles needs our help." Tails said as he and Sonic got into the Tornado 2.

"Should we go after them?" Akima asked, arching a brow at Shadow. "It could be interesting.." Shadow thought, before wondering how long she was planning on sitting on him. Meanwhile, Knuckles and Tios were sparring, Tios dodging most of his blows, and landing a few of her own.

"Gah!" Knuckles said as Tios managed to land a particularly strong punch, sending him flying a few feet through some bushes. He blinked, looking up at Sonic and Tails who were looking at him in curiosity. "Rahh!" Tios yelled as she jumped through the bushes, fists raised, before blinking at the two new people.

Sonic blinked and started to laugh, not beliving that Knuckles was getting beat up by a girl. "Geeze, and Rouge said that you were fighting some freakish monster." Sonic said, snickering, while Tails just shook his head. "I am NOT a freak." Tios said, eyes narrowed and her hands upon her hips.

"Well, they say that looks can be deceiving...Besides, what kind of girl doesn't wear clothes? Sounds like a freak to me." Of course, that last comment was relating to something else, but Tios had no idea. " I am NOT!" Tios yelled, punching Sonic in the face, sending him flat on his ass before she turned and ran into the forest.

"Great. Thanks alot Sonic. Now i have to go find her." Knuckles said with a sigh, looking at them. "You two better go..." Knuckles said before going after Tios. "Lets go Tails, Knuckles wants to be alone with his 'girlfriend'." Sonic said with a roll of his eyes, going back to the Tornado 2.

"Sonic...did you see..she had a mark on her chest like Knuckles'." Tails said as he followed Sonic. "Really? Didn't notice." Sonic replied with a shrug, rubbing his face. 'Man, she sure can throw a punch.' Sonic thought as they went back to Tails' house.

Knuckles grumbled as he followed after Tios, wondering where she was going, before he found her by a stream, sitting by it and looking into the water, her eyes looking a bit wet, as if she had cried. He sighed, hand running through his hair, before he went over and sat beside her, wondering what she was thinking about.

"Did you know, the reason i was locked up, was becase my grandfather and the tribe feared me? They were afraid that i would grow up, hating them for the war they made with my father, and would kill them all. Not to mention the 'powers' i would have inherited from him, not to mention my mother." Tios said, still looking at the water.

"Damned morons, with their superstisions. I guess it turned out alright. I'm alive for today, and they, well, their long gone. They sealed their own doom, and fought another war with another tribe, resulting in all parties getting obliterated. Not to mention, that i still have my father's inheritance, the Chaos Emeralds." Tios said, her head tilted to the sky now as she watched clouds.

"What do you mean?" Knuckles asked, looking at her. "Well.." Tios started, looking back with a slight smile. "Why do you think their called 'Chaos' Emeralds? My father, Chaos, created them..well..sort of. Seven of his Chao followers had asorbed some of his power, and turned into the mystical stones we all know.." She finished.

"Really? I didn't know that. I just assumed they came from where ever the Master Emerald came from." Knuckles said with a shrug. "Nope." Tios said, standing up and stretching out, Knuckles doing the same. Tios grinned, and looked at Knuckles before lunging over at him. "Think fast!" She yelled, grinning.

Knuckles blinked, grabbing her by the arms and tossing her over his head, into the little river. "...Ok..I guess you DO think fast.." Tios said, sitting in the water, shivering from the coldness of it. "Sorry...I didn't mean to.." Knuckles said, reaching out to help her out.

Tios reached up to him, before grinning again, yanking him down in the water. "Hey!" Knuckles yelled as he fell into the water, landing on her. "Off! You're heavy.." Tios complained, pushing him off of her, before splashing him with water, making him sputter.

"Why you!" Knuckles said, before splashing her back, causing her to yell and slosh away from him with a grin. Knuckles just laughed a moment, it was nice to have a little bit of carefree fun once in a while, he thought as he waded out of the water. He nearly fell over as Tios jumped on his back, arms wrapping around his neck and shoulders.

He blushed a moment as she hung on his back, her chest pressed against his back, and the proof of how cold she actually was from the river water...Well, it was a river that originated from a snow capped mountain. "Well, lets get back to the Altar, it's all nice and sunny today, we'll dry off quick." Knuckles said as he gave her a piggy-back ride.

)( Elsewhere )(

"I'm bored." Akima said, stretched out across Shadow's lap, who was watching tv almost as boredly. They looked up as Sonic and Tails returned, Sonic sitting over by her feet, in which Akima responded with kicking him away from her. "Hey!" He yelled, glowering at her.

"You're the one who sat down in my personal space." She replied, fluffing up the pillow that she was laying her head on, which also happened to be Shadow's lap. Shadow glanced down at her for a moment, before returning his gaze to the tv. "Well, what about Shadow?" Sonic asked, sitting in a chair. "He's comfy." Was her only reply.

Sonic rolled his eyes and started to watch tv while Tails went down in his workshop. About thirty minutes later Akima was extreamly bored when she got up and wandered out the door, Shadow's and Sonic's eyes on her for a moment, before they went back to the tv.

It was about two hours later that Shadow warped to where Akima was, having been bored and wondering what she had been up to. He neatly ducked as a fist came flying at him, arching an eyeridge at Akima who was blinking at him. "You know, you should be careful, i coulda hit you." She teased, going back to attacking her punching bag.

"I doubt it." Shadow replied, sitting back and watching her for a while. Akima stopped pummeling various equipment as she sighed, looking around and then at Shadow who was still watching her. "Well, i don't know about you, but i am going for a shower...and possibly a nap." Akima said, walking past him as he boredly followed her, to perhaps talk to her siblings while she was doing such.

About an hour later, there was a loud crashing sound, like something breaking, and then Akima cursing. A few minutes later she came into the livingroom like area, looking particularly grouchy. "Had the dream again?" Megumi asked, tails swishing behind her. "Yeah, and it's starting to piss me off, because i can't hardly sleep anymore." Akima replied, snatching a cookie from Shadow.

"Dream?" Shadow asked, not particularly bothered that she stole one of his cookies. "Yeah, it's one from back on the Ark. Mostly about an accident i had when i was younger." Akima said, eating the cookie. "When she was little, Akima was in a terrible experiment incident." Kurramo said, arms crossed as he leaned against a wall.

"It's something i remember quite well. And, i was meaning to tell you Akima, about the details of your survival of the incident one day when the time was right." Kurramo said, moving away from a wall and disappeared into his room for a moment, before comming back with a thin photo album.

"So i have something secret, that i don't even know about?" Akima quirked, almost amused, almost. "Something like that. You see, YOU were the final Supreme Project subject. You had...a prototype, if you will." Kurramo said, opening the album and digging through it a moment, before he showed a picture that had two life pods, each with a nearly identical person inside, though one was badly injured.

"Ok..i can get that easily enough.." Akima said, eyeridge arched. "Your body injuries were very extent...They had to safeguard your mind, so that the body could have time to heal. So they, kind of, well, easiest way to put it is, that they put your mind in the other body." Kurramo said, calmly so, as Akima eyed the picture.

"Ahh. Alright, i can get THAT. Simple enough, now i can understand why i keep seeing myself in my dreams.." Akima said, swiping another cookie from Shadow and eating it. "So how long did it take for well, me, to heal?" Akima asked, leaning back into the couch.

"Well, i don't KNOW. You see, after that, we got podded, and then the accident with Maria, and well, Akima, the reason you're having such dificulties with your powers, is because, well; you aren't in your proper body. You're still in the prototype body. Your mind wasn't ment for such a low quality body, thus the quite explosive dreams, and your recent injuries." Kurramo said, closing the album.

"...I can get that too. So, what, do we just have to go find my body and switch my mind into it then? How hard can that be?" Akima asked, eyeridge arched. "That's just it Akima. I can't FIND your body. In any G.U.N. or Ark records. It's like it just, disappeared." Kurramo said, watching his younger sister blink in comprehension.

"So, wait! You mean to tell me, that someone has my body, but we have NO idea who it is, where they are, and why?!" Akima asked/demanded as she jumped up from the couch. "That's pretty much it in a nutshell 'Kima." Kurramo said, watching the red and black female pace around the room in thought. "Well, all we have to do, is find me and them." Akima said, smirking.

)( Station Square )(

A young woman walked into Station Square General Hospital. The woman wore a form fitting outfit that consisted of white pants and high heeled shoes, a golden jacket, that had red stripes on the sides and on the cuffs and neckline of the jacket. The jacket was halfway zipped up, reveiling a black shirt underneath that showed a bit of cleavage.

Her gloves were black, as were the various zippers on the outfit, and decorations. It was basically an outfit similar to Eggman's. The woman had long waist length red hair, and almond shaped eyes that were tinted an odd color from her gold colored sun glasses.

Walking alongside the woman was a hedgehog, a female one, that was dark red, with dark black streaks in her hair, and even on her arms and legs, as what could be seen from her outfit. She wore a dark lavander two peice outfit, the top was like a half shirt that fit snugly to her form.

The shirt had a white collar that came up to her chin almost, and the hem along the bottom of the shirt was also white, and the sleeves ended just past her shoulders. Her shirt ended just under her chest, right above her stomach, and the bottoms began at her hips, the top hem white.

The leggings went down to past her knees, and ended between her knees and ankles, the cuffs white as well. She wore dark lavander sneakers, that had yellow soles, and a strip of yellow across the top, ankle to ankle, and the heels were black, and white socks, white gloves, and golden bracelets.

The hedgehog held a breifcase for the human woman as they walked into the hospital. "Hello. My name is Islanya Kintobor, i'm here to bring my uncle home so that we may care for him in his damaged state of mind." The woman said, taking the breifcase from the hedgehog, and pulling out various paperwork, which she showed a nurse.

"I am Ember the Hedgehog, i am Miss Kintobor's assistant. Dr. Ivo is Miss Kintobor's only living relative, and she would like to care for him as such, since she has no other family." The Hedgehog said in a soft and sensual voice, seeing the questioning look the nurse gave her.

The nurse looked over the papers, seeing that they WERE in order. She mentally sighed, she knew the G.U.N. officials wouldn't be happy with this turnabout, but, the woman WAS his legal family, and, no matter the crimes that Robotnik had committed, he was in a practical vegitative state, and no longer a threat to the world.

"Everything seems in order, i'll have him prepared for transit. Just so you know, he, doesn't have his mentality anymore, he's like a five year old child, are you prepared for that?" The nurse asked her, and Islanya nodded. "Allright then, he'll be ready soon." She said, motioning for them to take a seat and wait while she had Ivo prepared.

)( Tails' Workshop )(

Tails stared as Akima rummaged around in his kitchen, wondering what she was making, and weither or not it was safe to eat. She finished what she was making about thirty minutes later, also having cleaned up the kitchen while she was at it. She almost hummed, but she didn't, as she dashed into the livingroom, nearly jumping on Shadow as she pounced upon the couch, smirking.

She lifted up looked like what was either some candy...or a tiny cookie, Shadow thought as she held it up to him. He arched an eyeridge at the..thing, and then glanced at Akima. "Common! Try it." She said, smirking. "It's not going to make me sick, is it?" He asked, half teasing, half serious.

"Not that i know of." She said, grinning as he took it and ate it. It was surprisingly deliscious, he had no idea what it was, but, he wouldn't mind getting some more of it. A few minutes later, Sonic came wandering into Tail's house, and stopped short, staring at Akima and Shadow.

Shadow was laying on the couch, his head on Akima's lap, as she fed him what appeared to be some sort of candy. "Ow! You bit me!" Akima said, frowning at Shadow, who shrugged. "Then you shouldn't have made them so good." He replied back. "What if i were to bite you, hmm?" She asked, eyeridge arched.

"I might like it." He said, eating another candy cookie. "Ha! I'm sure you would. Though, i wouldn't have pegged you as someone who liked that kind of stuff." Akima said, eating some of the stuff herself. They paused as a news report came in, showing Eggman being lead out of the hospital by a young woman, and a red and black female hedgehog beside them.

Akima nearly choked on her candy as she rushed forwards, knocking Shadow to the floor as she stared at the t.v. unbeliving. She cursed loudly, and ran out the door, Shadow right behind her as he saw the same thing she did. Elsewhere.. "Welcome home...father. I'm sorry it took so long to get to you." Islanya said, reaching behind his neck and removing a tiny machine.

"Where am i?! Who are...Islanya?!" Ivo said, staring in disbelif at the woman. "Indeed, Father. Long time no see. What was it, when i was ten?" She asked, sitting casually in a chair with her fingers steepled in her lap. "You look so much like your mother." He said, adjusting his jacket.

"I hope it pleases you to know, that i have, like you, a 300 IQ." She stated, brow arching as she gave a breif smile. "Exccelent!" He said, giving a small smirk. "This is my partner, Ember." She said, hand motioning to the side to a red and black female hedgehog, making Ivo start a moment.

"Please note, that i am NOT the one you encountered at the old G.U.N. facility." Ember said, leaning against a wall. "Well, THAT is certainly good to know. But HOW is it that you look like the other one?" He asked, arching a brow in curiosity. "To put it simply, that was the prototype of what i am." Ember said, lips curling in a smirk.

"Ah! I see! Where did you find her, Islanya?" Ivo asked, looking to his daughter once more. "I found her in an abandoned sector on the Ark. Freed her, and she promised me the world." She stated, smiling. 'Isn't THAT familiar?' Ivo thought sarcastically.

"We've already implemented steps one through five. Would you like to see?" Islanya asked, and Ivo rubbed his chin, thinking. "Why not? Let's see how much of ME you have in you!" He said as she grabbed a remote, pessing a button as a tv clicked on. "The report on South city is in, and the damage and carnage is DEVISTATING!" A tv reporter said, a camera, obviously from a helicopter showing the city.

The entire city was leveled to the ground, fires still raging around the areas of houses and buildings. "We have an EXCLUSIVE shot of who did this too!" The reporter said as they showed a clip of a red and black haired hedgehog wearing something almost exactly like Akima's outfit.

"My name is Akima..And i WILL kill you all." The figure said with a smirk, before the screen went to static. "And that was it! We still have no idea who this 'Akima' is, but she is VERY dangerous! G.U.N. has sent out every man and woman they had to look for her, and people are encouraged to tell them ANY information they might have on this dangerous hedgehog." The reporter said before Islanya clicked off the tv.

"VERY impressive!" Ivo said, looking to them. "It was EASY. I can't stand the prototype, and all i had to do was use a temporary dye for the black stripes on my arms and legs, and SHE would get all the blaim for it. Once we have her sufficiently framed, i will come in, and 'save' the Earth." Ember said, smirking.

"Then, as Ember is MY employee, i would most defanantly get the world in return, seeing as how 'Akima' will kill anyone with leadership status on the planet." Islanya said, smiling once more. "He's due in for a check in now.." Ember said as a figure dashed into the room.

"Ah, THERE you are...Metal.." Ember said, smirking at him. "Metal?!" Ivo said, staring at his creation. "Hello Dr. Eggman. I still am unable to gain her trust. I can't even track her. It's almost like she's on to me." Metal Sonic said, crossing his metal arms. "If you can't get to HER, get to Megumi, or Kurramo. I don't CARE what it takes, most of this plan hinges on you." Islanya said, eyes narrowing behind her glasses.

"I AM trying my best!" Metal snarled at her, turning and dashing away, back to whatever it was that he was doing. "How on EARTH did you manage to get Metal?" Ivo demanded, looking at his daughter. "It was easy...I offered him the chance to kill the one he was made after." Islanya said, smiling.

)( Tails' Workshop )(

"I'm telling you, it WASN'T me!" Akima said, crossing her arms and glaring at Tails, who had seen the news report and was demanding an answer. "It's true, i was with her the entire time in Station Square, looking for her look-a-like." Shadow stated, looking at Tails.

Well Shadow didn't have any reason to lie to him, but it was rather curious about what he had just said, Akima's look-a-like. "I don't like what's going on. I have to find her! She has all the answers to my questions..but i can't find her!" Akima said, scowling as she sat on the couch.

"And this strange robot approached me the other day too. Looked like a metal version of Sonic. Wanted me to join some 'grand plan' and keeps trying to follow me." Akima said, ear twitching. "Metal Sonic?!" Tails asked, eyes wide. He thought that he had been destroyed.

"It's bad enough that the REAL Sonic won't leave me be either. Moron. Can't stand him and his 'I'm Sonic The Hedgehog! The World's GREATEST Hero!' crap he keeps trying to use on me to 'go out' with him." Akima said, rolling her eyes. "Anyways. I better go. Megumi and Kurramo will probably be wanting answers too, so i'm going to head home." Akima said, getting back up.

She walked out the door, Shadow glancing at Tails a moment as he followed after her. 'I hope she's telling the truth..' Tails thought with a small sigh, she was really nice, to him at least, and her little sister was really pretty too. But the information about Metal Sonic was disturbing, what would that 'grand plan' he was talking about be?

Tails just shook his head, sighing as he went down into his workshop, looking around at the various projects that he was working on. Meanwhile, on Angel Island. Knuckles blinked a moment in wonderment as he looked at the Altar. Somehow, when he was sleeping, it had gotten repaired to it's former glory.

The pillars were smooth, no chips or cracks in it, all the stone was like that. He paused as a bit of dirt came flying into his sight, Knuckles walking around to see Tios digging the dirt out of the trenches where water would've been. "Did YOU do all of this?" He asked her, making her blink at him a moment.

"Yeah, i couldn't sleep, i guess a few thousand years of doing something makes you not want it very much." She said, taking a break as she rubbed her sweat soaked forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt in it's place. "...How did you do it in one night?" He asked, still not beliving what he saw.

"That..is my little secret." She said, smiling and going back to digging out the dirt. He watched her for a while, before he too began to dig out the dirt, helping her. He had been wanting to do the same for a while, but he'd never seemed to have the time, not with Eggman and everything going on lately.

)( End Chapter )(

Well, here goes chapter four of Darkened Thunder. I hope you all enjoy it so far. I'm going to start working on the next chapter, as i have quite a few things planned that will happen in it. And, obviously, if you've gotten this far, you've been reading my story, so drop me a review and tell me how i'm doing. Untill next time, later!


	5. The Truth

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sonic and Co. I do however, own various sonic games for the gameboy advance, the gamecube, and the Dreamcast. Character-wise, i do own Akima The Hedgehog, Megumi The Fox, Tios The Echidna, Kurramo The Rabbit, Ember The Hedgehog, and Islanya Kintobor.

Key: "Talking", 'Thinking', _Flashback/Past_, )( Scene Change )(, and (( Comments from yours truely. ))

)( Last Time )(

"Yeah, i couldn't sleep, i guess a few thousand years of doing something makes you not want it very much." She said, taking a break as she rubbed her sweat soaked forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt in it's place. "...How did you do it in one night?" He asked, still not believing what he saw.

"That..is my little secret." She said, smiling and going back to digging out the dirt. He watched her for a while, before he too began to dig out the dirt, helping her. He had been wanting to do the same for a while, but he'd never seemed to have the time, not with Eggman and everything going on lately.

)( This Time/Chapter Start )(

Knuckles looked up at the altar as he had finally finished digging out the dirt in the water pool areas. Tios smiled as she looked up as well. "Hmm...smells like it's going to rain.." She said, making Knuckles look up at the cloudless sky. "...Are you sure? Doesn't look like it." He stated, looking around the sky.

An hour later, it was pouring buckets, Knuckles glad that the altar got restored, since he now had a place to sit and not get wet when it rained now. He smiled a moment at Tios, who was running around in the rain, dancing around in it and laughing. A crash of thunder rocked the air, making Tios yell and dash under the roof of the altar, looking up into the sky.

Knuckles just laughed, making her pout at him, she was almost like a little kid. She sighed, flicking water out of her fur, grabbing her hair and twisting the water out of it. She flipped her hair back, still damp, as it smacked Knuckles in the face. "Hey!" He said, wiping the small amount of water from his face.

Another hour passed by, and the rain had stopped, filling the areas on the altar where water was supposed to go. "Hey, how is it filling over from the top?" Knuckles asked, looking at the top tier and wondering where all the water was coming from. "That's easy, it gets sucked up from the bottom and comes back up to the top!" Tios said with a smile.

"Really? How does it do that?" Knuckles asked, the altar was really old, they didn't have water pumps back then. "That's easy too. The force of the flow of the water as it waterfalls down pushes the water back up." She said, smiling. "What?" Knuckles asked, still a bit confused.

"Ok...you know waterfalls, right?" She paused at his nod. "You know how where the falling water meets the rest of the river creates a sucktion under it, an undertow, right?" She asked, as Knuckles realized what she was saying. "Oh! Yeah. I know what you mean now...How'd you get so smart?" He asked, blinking at her.

"Weeelll. When i was sealed up in that stone, i dreamed alot. Most of the dreams were from things that were projected to me from the Chaos Emeralds, and even the Master Emerald. Another thing on how i knew you were a Guardian." She said, giggling.

"Well, i knew the Master Emerald could project things, but i thought it was just to me.." Knuckles said, scratching the side of his head. "Wanna know something else, it's really neat. I'll show you!" Tios said, bounding off the edge of the Altar, jumping up on one of the pillars.

Knuckles watched her jump from one pillar to the next, placing something atop it, before she used her powers to hover down back to where he was. "What'd you do?" He asked, eyeing her in curiosity. "Just this." She said, placing her hands on the Master Emerald and closing her eyes, her form glowing purple a moment.

He jolted as he felt a surge of energy rush past and through him. Tios stepped away, skipping down the steps and motioning for Knuckles to follow her, which he did. They stepped off of the steps leading to the altar, Knuckles feeling the same energy for a moment, before he looked up at the altar, staring.

There was a shimmery dome that encircled the entire area of the Altar and the pillars around it. "What IS that?!" He demanded, looking at her. "Forcefield." Tios said, smiling. "Forcefield? How'd you do that?" He asked, looking at her in astonishment. "I just activated it. The Master Emerald does it. It's how father would be able to both protect the altar and patrol the island without needing to worry about it." Tios said, smiling.

"I wish **I** knew about it.." Knuckles grumbled. "Well, it needs seven Chaos Emeralds to work." Tios said, pointing at the seven glowing points of light on the top of the pillars. "Wait! Didn't Rouge only use SIX Chaos Emeralds to free you?" Knuckles asked her, and was rewarded with a secretive smile.

"As my father's daughter, and Guardian to both the Master Emerald, AND the Chaos Emeralds, i can summon any of them if the need ever arises." Tios said, Knuckles then realizing that the gems on her bracelets and necklace were the same colors of the Chaos Emeralds.

)( Elsewhere )(

"We're wasting time, we should just go ahead with our plan, regardless." Ember said, looking to Islanya, who sat in a large chair behind a desk, looking at some monitor screens. "You may be right.." She replied, reaching over and pressing a button on a consol. "Metal, we've decided to speed up the plan, you have a go." She said, Metal replaying with a brief. "Right".

"So, Islanya, do you mind if i, watched?" Ivo asked, as he stepped into the control room, for lack of better words. "Of course you may, Father. We've decided to skip ahead. Both Ember and Metal are impatiant." She said, motioning to a seat and watching her father take it.

"I'll go ahead with my part." Ember said, before she disappeared. "Such impatience. But then again, i have been wanting to get this over with anyways." Islanya said, glancing at various monitors. Elsewhere... Akima paused a moment, turning to look behind her at Sonic, who had followed her to the rocky gorge that she was admiring.

"Look, moron. LEAVE me alone, i'm NOT going to go out with you..EVER." Akima stated, scowling, she was tired of him following her everywhere. "Oh look! Hey! Sonic! Soooonic!" Amy yelled, waving to him. Amy and the others weren't too far away, as they had went with Akima and had decided to have a picnic.

"You must be mistaken. I am NOT Sonic.." Sonic stated, making them look at him oddly, before his body began to harden and take on a metallic sheen, his normally green eyes shifting to red. "I-It's Metal!" Amy yelled, horrified. "I'm amazed it took you all long enough to notice." Metal said sarcastically.

"I've been here the entire time, living Sonic's life right under your noses for MONTHES." Metal said, smirking and crossing his arms a moment, before a red and black figure appeared at his side, a black half cape swaying in the wind. "...Prototype...It's so nice to FINALLY meet you. This body's name is Ember, thus, i am Ember.." Ember stated, looking at a furious looking Akima.

"Two against one, that's not fair!" Megumi said, frowning. "Oh, i'm not here to fight...yet..I'm just here to make sure none of YOU all interfere with THEIR fight. It's going to be a fight to see who is truely superior...The Prototype body, or the Final project's body." Metal said, crossing his arms and turning his red gaze at the others, though, one eye did keep on the two other females.

Akima scowled, rushing towards Ember, who met her halfway, the two grappling for power over the other for a moment. "I can't wait to see you lying broken at my feet. And after that happens...your 'bother' and 'sister' will be next." Ember said to Akima, thus infuriating her even more.

"Bitch! You will NOT!" Akima yelled, one hand breaking free from the grapple and slamming into Ember's slightly surprised face. "Hmm..looks like i underestimated you a bit. Trust me, it won't happen again." Ember said, spitting blood from her mouth. 'Damn! That actually hurt!' She thought to herself, hand going high, and then cutting down, violet energy crashing into Akima's unsuspecting form.

"How do you like my Chaos Claws? It's a wonderus thing this body can do, harness chaos energy better than YOURS can." Ember said, as the two darted around the area at blinding speeds, crashing into each other and leaving their marks on the other. Shadow and the others watched, the others yelling and cheering for Akima, while Shadow stayed silent, analizing the battle.

"Metal. I want to see her TRUELY pissed off." Ember suddenly stated, making Akima pause a moment, before Ember pounced upon her, grabbing her into a choke hold that she couldn't break. "B-Bitch, what do you mean?!" Akima snarled at her, and Ember just gave a cold smile.

"Why don't you ask Metal? Right, Metal?" Ember said, looking over to where the others were, and Metal had appeared behind an unsuspecting Megumi, and ripped his hand right through the middle of her. "MEGUMI!" Both Akima and the others yelled as Metal tore her in half, Megumi falling to the ground in two pieces.

"Megumi! Megumi! You bastard! I'll KILL you!" Kurramo yelled, going after Metal, who easily dodged his attacks before his metallic claws began ripping into Kurramo as well. 'Yes! She's getting harder to keep constrained! I've unlocked her power with anger!' Ember thought, a silent smirk upon her face.

"Oh, look, isn't that sweet? He wanted to join her in death." Ember stated as Kurramo's near lifeless form fell near Megumi's, hand reaching out to hers. "Megumi.." He whispered. "Oh, my mistake, he's still alive. Metal, you're slipping." Ember stated as Metal seemed to roll his eyes and hold out his hand, where his claws extended, and slammed into Kurramo's body, ripping him to shreds.

"There, happy?" He asked, sounding almost bored. "Yes. I am now." Ember replied. "Oh, and you might want to take care of that one over there, i'm told he's pretty strong, so, if you don't happen to live through it, let me just say, you...annoy me." Ember said as Akima managed to break free of Ember and go after Metal, yelling.

Ember appeared infront of her, kicking her away and getting her back into their fight, while Shadow went after Metal. He himself was angery now, Megumi and Kurramo were the only other ones he could've talked to about Maria! "Magnificent! I'm amazed Islanya! You managed to upgrade Metal? It's Superb!" Ivo said as they watched from the control room.

)( Meanwhile, On Angel Island )(

"Knuckles? Do you feel that?" Tios asked, looking to him as he sat under the shade of the Altar's roof. "Feel what?" He asked, looking over at her curiously. "It feels like there's something going on down on the planet.." She said, running up the steps and to the Master Emerald, as it began to glow bright green, before showing them the battle that was taking place.

"It's..horrible!" Tios said, making Knuckles wrap her in his arms and pet her head. He'd been in battles like that before, so he wasn't phased by it..much. "Knuckles! We have to go help them! Even the Master Emerald is telling me that!" Tios said, not minding Knuckles' arms around her, but, wished it were under a differant setting.

)( Space Colony ARK )(

"Their not the REAL Chaos Emeralds, but, it'll get the job done, i didn't have enough to make seven of them, so there should do a sufficient job." Islanya said as she looked to her father. "What do you plan on doing?" He asked, curious, but, not wanting to interefere with his Daughter's plans, afterall, he needed to see how strong she was without any help from him. "Just watch, and see." She replied, pressing a button.

"Knuckles! What's that light?!" Tios yelled as a bright blue-green light shot down from the sky in the distance, connecting with the Earth and making it rumble and shake, even Angel Island shook from the force of the blow. "It..It can't be! That was the Eclipse Cannon! But all of the Chaos Emeralds are here, with us!" Knuckles said, eyes wide.

Amy cried when she and Tails saw the energy hit the gorge area, Shadow had yelled at them only minutes earlier to get to safety, just incase Metal tried to do to them, what he had done to Megumi and Kurramo. So Tails had taken Amy and flew her away, though they fell to the thankfully close ground when the shockwave hit them.

"Son of a-!" Islanya started, before calming herself, the fake emeralds she had put into the cannon had shattered from not being enough power, but...She searched her screens, and didn't see anything in her monitors, she had inadverdantly taken her cameras out along with Akima and the others.

"Islanya! What did you do?! Why did you do that?! Do you realize you could've destroyed the Earth?!" Ivo roared at her, making her mentally sigh. "Ember and Metal were losing, incase you didn't notice. Hopefually that answers the first two questions, and for the third."

"The fake emeralds weren't powerful enough to do that, and if by some slim mistake that it had, well, we have enough supplies here in the ARK to last us at LEAST a hundred years." Islanya stated, looking to her father, who seemed to be thinking over her answer. "Very well.." He finally replied, finding her explaination good enough.

Meanwhile, Tails and Amy had flown back to the site, scavanging around the rubble to find Akima and Shadow. "Shadow?! Akima! Where are you?!" Tails yelled, Amy yelling the same. There was a bright flash, before Knuckles and Tios appeared, Knuckles looking slightly surprised before they too began to look for the others.

"Rrrggh.." Akima answered back, pushing rubble off of herself and staggering up. "Akima!" The others yelled, happy to see her. "Ugh..that...human..bitch.." Ember said, pulling herself to her feet, or trying to, before she fell back over. "Why does this body reject me? It refuses to listen to me anymore.." She said to herself, as if she hadn't any idea the others were hesitantly watching her.

"Is that not your true body?" Tios asked, curious, she'd been sensing something strange from both of the red females. "No, i have hers. And she has mine." Ember stated, seeming to have finally realized they were there. "Tails! We need to get help! Akima isn't looking so good, i think she's dying!" Amy yelled to them, which made Ember laugh.

"Of course she is, i'm surprised she wasn't killed by the blast. Oh well, Islanya, you bitch, Akima was to be..my..kill.." Ember said, trailing off before she passed out from her own injuries, the pain too much for her to handle. "If only we knew how to get their minds back to their original bodies.." Tails said, looking at the two.

"I..think i can do it..I'm not sure...I..I don't know the full extent of my own powers yet, i've only been free for a short time...Maybe the Emeralds can help me.." Tios said, hand upon her chin as she thought. "Well, it can't hurt to try, can it?" Amy asked, eyes hopeful.

"I suppose..Allright, here goes." Tios said, taking a deep breath, arms stretching out as the various Chaos Emeralds detatched from her holders for them on her jewelry, circling around her. Her eyes closed for a moment, looking like she was concentrating all of her power, her emerald green form turning a dark purple in color before she thrust the palms of her hands at each subject.

"ANGEL'S LIGHT!" She yelled out, a bright white light flashing from her and engulfing both Akima and Ember, the lights wrapping around the two for a few moments before shooting away and to the other body, doing the same. The light faded, and Tios fell to her knees, arms still out, though her fur was back to it's normal forest green color.

Tios breathed heavy for a few moments, before looking over her shoulder to the others, sweat rolling down her fur, dampening it. "It's..done.." She stated, before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted, the Chaos Emeralds once more back in their places on her.

"T-Tios!" Knuckles yelled, rushing over to her and checking her over. "She's ok...I guess she just used too much power..but did it even work?" Knuckles asked, brushing some of Tios' hair from her face. "Hahhh...Th-Th-That...b-bitch..How...DARE...sh-she?!" Akima yelled, standing up, just barely, and diving at Knuckles and Tios.

"Akima, no!" Amy cried, eyes wide. "Guaaahhhh!!!!" 'Akima' yelled, her body freezing as she looked down at her chest, seeing the metal spikes protruding from it. "M-Metal...why..?" She asked, looking confused at him, her body staggering over to him as he began to flash brightly.

"Resistance to death is futile. Elimation at all costs, that is my objective, prototype.." Metal stated coldly as he ripped his claws from her chest, 'Akima' falling against him as he stared emotionlessly at her. "Silly M-Metal...don't you see it's...me..?" Akima asked, an almost loving look upon her face as she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head under his chin.

Metal had a surprised look come upon his face for a moment, before a few other 'emotions' flashed past, mainly confusion, realization, then, regret and sadness as his own arms went around her, resting his chin atop her head, eyes closing. "Forgive me.." Was all he stated before the flashing intensified and he blew up, taking her with him, and nearly everyone else too, if they hadn't run away.

"What was that all about?!" Knuckles asked, blinking in confusion. "I..I think Tios did it!" Amy said, laughing happily. "Uhhnn.." Ember said, sitting up with a dazed look upon her face. "Akima?...Or is it Ember now? Are you alright?" Tails asked, looking at the dazed female.

"Akima? No..Ember...? Possibly...Shadow..? Shadow.. Shadow. Why does that haunt me? Who are you? What do you want with me? Why am i injured? Who am i? Am i myself? Myself am i? ...My head hurts..." Ember stated, passing out once more before anyone could reply to her questions.

"Oh! Shadow! We forgot about Shadow!" Amy cried, looking around frantically. "Aww, don't worry about him. I saw him a few minutes ago. Moody as ever. Man! Am i glad to get out of that stinking place...Hey, who're the girls?" A familiar voice asked, making them whirl around to look at a beat up, but grinning none-the-less Sonic.

"Sonic!" - "Sonikku!" Tails, Knuckles, and Amy yelled, though Amy glomped upon him and hugged for all her worth. "Woah! Woah! Woah! I'm glad to see you guys too. Sheesh, a guy gets kidnapped for a while and everyone gets all grabby...But then again...You've always been this way, Ames." Sonic said, flashing her a grin that made her squeal in happiness.

)( One Day Later )(

"Ahh, ok. I understand now. The red girl is like Shadow, except a girl...freaky. And the green one, Tios was it, is Tical's kid, but got sealed up, and then freed, so now she helps Knux protect the Master Emerald, because her father was that weird water creature, Chaos, who actually started out as an Echidna before the M.E. mutated him?" Sonic asked, though pausing every once in a while to stuff a chilidog into his maw.

"Yeah, turns out that Chaos made the Chaos Emeralds, so Tios is their guardian, like Knuckles is to the Master Emerald. But since Chaos was a Guardian, Tios has what she says is called a 'Guardian Mark' upon her chest like Knuckles does, so helps him protect the Master Emerald." Tails said, happily sipping a soda.

"Yeah! She even fixed the shrine, and it's so BEAUTIFUL! It must be so romantic up there now.." Amy said, getting a dreamy look on her face, making Sonic and Tails blink at her. They all jumped at a crashing sound, all of them running to Tails' basement, where they had Ember in a modified rejuvenation chamber.

The glass was shattered, and the liquid upon the floor as a dazed looking Ember stood infront of it, the liquid dripping from her fur. "Ember, are you alright?!" Tails asked, worried. "He...calls me.." She said, as if she were speaking to herself, and not even seeing or hearing them. There was a blur of movement, and she was gone.

"Woah! She's fast!" Sonic said, looking a bit surprised. "Yeah..But Sonic, this isn't good..She doesn't remember ANYTHING. She doesn't remember us..I think that blast did something to her memory, wiped it out or something.." Tails said, sighing softly. "She..She doesn't even remember her brother or sister.." Tails said, ears drooping a bit at the memory of Megumi, he hadn't even got to tell her how pretty he thought she was..

"Her what?!" Sonic asked, nearly falling over. "Adoptive older rabbit brother, and adoptive younger four tailed fox sister, she was as smart as i was..maybe smarter...she gave me the design for this tank...But Metal..he killed them...And the blast more than likily destroyed their bodies..." Tails said, sadly looking over to a picture he had snapped of Megumi without her knowing.

"I'm sorry lil' bro...Don't worry about Ember, i'm sure we'll see her again. And well, i'm sure her sister wouldn't want you to mope around, she'd want you to get back to normal, and do what you do best, which is tinkering!" Sonic said, winking at Tails and making him smile. "Yeah! You're right Sonic!" Tails replied, smiling.

)( Epilog?/Four Months Later )(

"I know you're out there. I will find you, whoever you are.. Why do you call to me? Why do i have this feeling in my chest? Who am i? Who are you? I'm sure you can tell me..when i find you...Shadow.." Ember said, looking out over a giant city in the distance from the cliff she stood upon, half-cape swaying in the wind before she disappeared from sight.

)( End Story )(

ZOXXU! I can't belive it! I fiiiinished it! Though, i don't know if i want to leave the overall story like this..or to write a sequal.. Oh well, why don't YOU all tell me what i should do. If you really liked it, i'll write some more about Akima, now Ember, and Shadow. Though, i AM thinking of writing a short story/sequance about Tios and Knuckles.

I hope you all enjoyed, especially the twist where Metal was disguised and pretending to be Sonic; some of you may have guessed something along the lines, so review and tell me your opinions of my first actually completed fanfic, Zanomei?


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